


Cancer and Revenge

by EmotionallyNeon



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Cancer, M/M, Revenge, Sad, Sick Character, i promise im not killing him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 11:57:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 24,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11805519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmotionallyNeon/pseuds/EmotionallyNeon
Summary: This is based on the theories of Robert switching his blood with Lawrence's and finding out he is sick.





	1. The Beginning

Robert hadn’t been listening to what Rebecca was saying after she told him that Lawrence's blood work came back showing signs of cancer. He had switched Lawrence's blood with his own in fear that the pills he had been slipping into his drinks would show up in the blood work. But this, this information was far worse than anything he could have possibly imagined.

His muscles grew tense, and he stood rigid as she was still talking, she never stopped talking. Everything was slowly registering in his head, what this means for him. He can’t say that it’s not Lawrance who has cancer, without getting caught in the mess he started. The worst thing that could happen for Lawrence is the hospital runs a few tests, and find out that it was just a false alarm, he’s old it happens. He snaps out of the trance he is in, “What kind do they think it is,” he interrupts what ever she was going on about. 

“What?” 

“The cancer, what kind do they think it is,” he sounds more demanding than he means to, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She never seemed to notice.

“They have no idea as of right now,” She shrugs. “They sent the blood for more testing.” 

Robert rubs his temples, the whole world feels like it is moving in slow motion he watches as people come in and out of The Woolpack without any real worries. “I have to go, keep me update.” He rushes around her without giving her a chance to say anything else. 

On his way out he basically slams into Aaron, as he is coming into The Woolpack. Aaron places a quick hand on Robert’s chest, “Woah, what’s with the rush.” 

Robert opens his mouth, but no words actually come out. Instead, he just pushes past him leaving a stunned and puzzled Aaron and a confused Rebecca who watched the entire thing happen. 

******************************************

Robert had gone straight to Diane’s, luckily she wasn’t home to question him about why he looked so grim and frazzled. He wasn’t sure of what to do with himself, he had no real way of getting any more information until the blood work came back and he didn’t even know how long that would take. He couldn’t imagine it would take longer, but right now he didn’t even know the real essence of time. Suddenly there and a knock on the door and even though he didn’t want to answer it he was surprised when he opened the door and it was Aaron standing outside. 

Aaron had no real reason for decided to follow Robert back to Diane’s he just felt like he should. It was like a gut instinct that forced his legs to move before his brain could tell them not to. “Care to explain,” Aaron says as soon as the door opened trying to play it cool. But with one look at Robert he can immediately tell something is wrong. Robert’s eyes are darting around, his hair is messy and not in the perfect quiff it is usually in. Robert’s entire body was tense, nothing like his usual relaxed “I got this” posture. Aaron had just seen him at the Woolpack and can’t figure out how Robert so quickly became a mess. He lets himself in and shuts the door behind him. “What’s wrong,” he can’t help but let the concern show in his voice. 

“Nothing,” Robert says, trying to recollect himself. He turns around and walks into the living room, he knows Aaron is going to follow him, but it gives him time to try and think of some type of an excuse. 

Aaron can tell that whatever it is Robert doesn’t want to talk about it and he can’t make him, at least not anymore. He knows it isn’t his place, but he doesn’t want to leave so he follows Robert into the other room. “Did you hear Lawrance might have cancer,” he says trying to change the subject. 

Robert’s head shoots up like a bat out of hell, “What, who told you that?” 

“Rebecca is going around blabbing that mouth of hers, it’s what she does best.” 

Robert starts pacing the room leaving Aaron a little uneasy. “Why the hell is she doing that,” his voice rises, but it isn’t quite a yell. He knows that Aaron is confused by the sudden outburst but he can’t bring himself to look at him. It’s been hard enough since Aaron broke everything off, and now he is sitting in the room with him showing concern, something Robert would have gladly accepted if it was for anything besides this. 

Aaron walked over and placed his hand on Robert’s shoulder to stop him from pacing the room. His concern has grown into something more like nervousness. There was no doubt in his mind now that something was wrong, Robert was completely panicking. “Rob, what’s wrong?” Aaron no longer cares about it not being his place to worry about Robert. 

Robert tried to think of something, anything to tell Aaron but instead, he took a deep breath, “It started with me doing something stupid.” 

“It usually does.” 

Robert started with his plan to get the Whites out of town. He told Aaron about how the sleeping pills weren’t for him, but instead, he had been putting them in Lawrence's drinks. He told him everything, but when he got to the part about the blood work he was having a difficult time actually saying it out loud. “The hospital decided to do blood work and--.” He stopped and looked at Aaron who hadn’t interrupted him, or tried to lecture him throughout the explanation. He had just been listening to everything Robert was saying. 

“It’s okay, take your time,” Aaron gave Robert the slightest smile. 

Robert thought for sure by now Aaron would have yelled at him for being an idiot. He took another deep breath. “I was afraid they would find trace amounts of the pills in his blood, so I-” he pauses, his breath has grown heavy he hadn’t even realized. Robert’s eyes began to well up with tears, “Aaron,” his voice cracked, “I switched Lawrence's blood with mine, he doesn’t have cancer,” The tears had already started to make their way down his face. “I do.”


	2. What are the Chances

Aaron woke up with a shirt still wet from Robert’s tears. Robert’s body laid curled into his, his head still resting on Aaron’s chest like it had, so many times before. Aaron missed it, he never let it show, but he missed more than he thought physically possible. He doesn’t know when they fell asleep, the last thing he remembers was stroking Robert’s hair as he cried. It was awful and took everything he had not burst into tears himself. Aaron didn’t even know what time it was, but it looked dark out, which means more than likely Diane had come home and seen the pair on the couch cuddled together of on the couch. Instead of trying to untangle himself from Robert, he stayed there and let himself fall back to sleep. It was a lot easier to sleep when Robert was in his arms. 

When he woke again Diane was opening a curtain letting the light shine through on the two of them. “Well good morning,” she smiled. Aaron smiled at her, a part of him felt like he just got caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing, but the other part of him didn’t care. 

Robert was the first to untangle himself, he stretched when he stood up. Diane walked over to him and took his face into her hands. “Well you look awful, I thought you would be radiating when you finally got back with him,” she says studying his face. When Robert doesn’t say anything she drops her hands from his face. “Don’t mess it up this time.” 

When Diane leaves Robert sits back down next to Aaron, “You don’t have to stay or anything, thanks for- um- thanks for being here.” 

“What are you going to do,” Aaron asks not moving from where he is sitting. He doesn’t have any plans to, Robert has helped him get through some of the toughest times in his life, and he plans on doing the same for him. 

Robert shrugs, “I need to ask Rebecca if they got any more information, and then try and figure out something from there.” He stands up again, “I’m gonna shower and make myself look like a decent human being, I will let you know what’s going on,” He looks at Aaron, “If you want,” he continues after he realizes he doesn’t really know where they stand. 

“Yeah, definitely keep me updated, I’m gonna head into work,” Aaron stands up and kisses Robert on the cheek, “Let me know if you need anything.” 

Robert stands in the middle of the living room, it’s been too long since the last time he got a kiss on the cheek, and he should be smiling like an idiot, but instead he is contemplating his life. Trying to muster up enough courage to get into the shower and get ready for the day. When Robert finally looks like his usual self he almost texts Rebecca, but decides it would be better to meet in person. He assumes she will be at the Cafe where she usually gets her breakfast. 

Of course, he is right, when he gets there she is sitting outside eating and looking at a magazine about different celebrities lives. She always was so nosy about what other people were doing with their lives it doesn’t surprise him that, that is what she likes to read about. He sits across from her. “Any news on your dad?” He asks without wasting any time. He surprises himself with how calm he sounds. 

She wipes her face quickly with a napkin. “Yeah,” she nods, “they said the something called the LDH enzyme was high, they said they think it’s probably testicular cancer.” 

Robert nods now if he could he would just get up and leave. He got the information he came for, but he thinks of something to say “Is he worried, or anything?” 

“He hasn’t shown it, but you never know what he’s hiding under that thick skin of his,” she says and then stares at him, “You took off pretty quick yesterday.” 

Robert leans back in the chair, “Yeah I forgot about something, and didn’t want to be late.” He gives her his best smile, “speaking off I have to head off to the scrap yard to finish up some work.” 

“Leaving in such a rush again?” 

“I can hear the work calling my name from here,” he says without stopping, wanting to get to where Aaron is as quickly as possible. 

*******************************************************

He walks into the portacabin and is happy to see that Adam decided not to come to work today. “No Adam!” 

“Try not to sound so excited,” Aaron says as he fills out some type of form. 

“Please you know he wouldn’t let me get one word in with you if he was here,” Robert rolls his eyes. “What do you want Robert? Get away from him, Robert. He doesn’t need you around Robert,” he does his best impression of Adam. 

Aaron laughs, “He doesn’t sound like that, and he was just looking out for me.” It’s weird how easy it is to talk to Robert, after everything that’s happened between the two of them. 

“Yeah well then I should have decked him for the Vic thing, but I’m not a hypocrite unlike him.” Robert sits in his seat leaning back and resting his feet on the desk. 

Aaron shakes his head, “Anyways did you talk to her?” 

Robert is silent for a second thinking about what she said, “She said something about an enzyme, and that it might be testicular.” 

Aaron looks at Robert confused, “Testicular?” 

“That’s what she said.” Aaron cocks his head to the side and Robert can tell that he is thinking about something. Whenever he starts thinking his eyebrows furrow and his lip gets tight. “Why do you look like that?” 

Aaron shakes his head, “Nothing it’s just that-” he stops talking and starts typing on his computer and now Robert is extremely confused, but he waits for Aaron to finish doing what he is doing. 

“That’s what I thought,” Aaron says as he reads from the website in front of him. 

Robert is impatient now, “What is it.” 

Aaron’s face is a mix of confusion and something else, but Robert can’t tell what. Aaron looks at the screen and puts his finger up to where he is reading from. “Men with testicular cancer have an extremely poor fertility up to two years before,” Aaron looks up to make sure Robert is listening. “Before they are diagnosed with testicular cancer.”

Aaron watches as Robert tries to understand what he is saying, “Robert if you actually have testicular cancer the chances of getting someone pregnant is almost zero,” he pauses letting Robert take in the information, “If you have testicular cancer, the chance of Rebecca’s baby being yours is almost impossible. Something just doesn’t add up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I will try and update every day or at least every other day.   
> Also, I will take this opportunity to tell you my Tumblr name is Alecthemagnificent. If I don't update you can yell at me there or give me drabble prompts, whatever you like. 
> 
> Also, I pinky promise I won't kill anyone in this story.


	3. Appointments and Surprises

Robert is up and out of his seat looking at the page in seconds. His mind races with the reality of the situation. “How can that be?” 

Aaron ignores the question, that he too is thinking so hard about. He is trying to figure out how, but he has no way of doing. “You need to see a doctor.” 

“I can’t, when Lawrence doesn’t have cancer and I do I’m sure Rebecca will put two and two together and figure it out,” Robert says. 

Aaron watches as Robert paces the room again. “There is no way she would figure it out. Not right away at least. It’s not like the doctor is going to go around telling people about it” Robert nods proving he is listening to what Aaron is saying. “You can’t just do nothing about it.” 

Robert stops pacing, “What am I supposed to tell the doctor?” 

“Tell them you felt something.” 

Robert looks slightly terrified. Aaron can’t tell if it’s the reality of the situation of the thought of how there really is something there. “Really?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron nods. “That way they will see you right away.” Aaron stands up and grabs his keys. 

“What are you doing,” Robert asks.

“Coming with you,” Aaron said like the answer was already obvious. He thought it was, he wasn’t going to let Robert go by himself. Aaron walks over to where Robert is standing and cups his face with his hands. “I’m here for you.” 

“Why?” Robert asks and he means it. Why would Aaron want to help him at all? Why would he be going through all this with him after Robert has put him through so much awful shit? Aaron has done his best to keep away from Robert these past few weeks. Robert knows he doesn’t deserve it, and the last thing he should be doing is questioning it, but he can’t help it. 

Aaron brushes his fingers through Robert’s hair. “You know.” 

“Still?” Robert honestly couldn’t believe it. 

Aaron nodded, “Always.” 

Suddenly Adam bursts through the door and Aaron and Robert jump away from each other and try to act as casual as possible. “I thought you weren’t coming in mate,” Aaron says completely defensively and regrets it immediately. He tries to play it off cool by leaning against the desk and giving Adam his best imitation of an I’m not telling my ex I’ve always loved them smile. 

“I said I was coming in late,” Adam is giving both of them a criticizing look. He knew that eventually Aaron and Robert would find their way back to each other, they always had. He just didn’t think it would be so soon, and definitely not in the portacabin. But he could tell by the pink in Aarons' cheeks and how Robert was avoiding eye contact that they hadn’t been talking about work when he walked in. “Are you both headed out?” 

Robert and Aaron share a look. “Lunch,” They say in unison. 

Adam thinks about giving them a hard time about it but decides against his better judgment to just let it go. “Well, have fun then.” 

“See you later,” Aaron gives Adam a small pat on the back before leaving, Robert following right behind him. 

Robert called the doctor in the car and they said he could come in immediately if it was something he was severely concerned about, so that’s exactly where they went. When they got there, there were people milling around all over the place, and they all had different reasons for being there. It didn’t take long for a nurse to come and take Robert to one of the back rooms, while Aaron sat and waited in the waiting room. 

It took longer than Aaron thought, he didn’t really know how long he had been sitting there. He was started to doze off when his phone rings in his pocket, he expects it to be Adam complaining about how long he’s been gone, but the caller ID shows that it’s Liv. “Hey, what’s up?” He tries to sound as nonchalant as possible, but it hasn’t been working lately. 

“I’m coming home tomorrow,” Liv says and Aaron is silent, panicking about more than a couple things. He knows she knows about Robert and the baby, but he isn’t really sure how she will react when she sees him. And his mum, well she is fuming and will be even more fuming if she sees them back together before he and Robert have all the facts straightened out. And then should he tell them that he is sick? Or should he wait until he has more of those facts straightened out? “Aaron? Are you still there,” Liv says and snaps Aaron back to reality. 

“That’s amazing,” Aaron doesn’t have to try and sound excited because he is. There is not much more he enjoys than spending time with his younger sister. He just wishes the timing would have been a little better. 

“We won’t be in until late probably almost around midnight, Chas said we will take a taxi back, but you better be up when we get there, I need a proper tour of the house,” He can hear the excitement in her own voice. He can tell that she is trying not to sound it, but it’s there. “Okay I have to go, but I will see you soon.” She hangs up the phone before he has time to reply to her. 

He hadn’t noticed Robert walking towards him until he started talking, “I asked them to do a fertility test too.” Aaron knew he was avoiding the subject of talking about the other tests they had done. 

Aaron smiles, “That was smart.” They stand awkwardly in the middle of the waiting room. “Did they say when to come back?” 

Robert takes out a card from his pocket and holds it in the air, “Tomorrow, eight in the morning.” Robert was paler than usual and his skin looked clammy. 

Aaron sighed, “I might have some more bad news.” Robert raises and eyebrow urging Aaron to go on. “Liv just called, she and my mum are coming back around midnight tomorrow.” 

“Oh god, Chas is going to kill me before anything else even has the chance.” 

“I won’t let her kill you, nothing is going to kill you,” Aaron says deciding that the waiting room is not the best place for this conversation and starts walking to the exit. 

Robert half laughs, “I don’t think you’ll be able to stop her, and Liv,” He stops talking thinking about how much Liv had grown on him. “She might just get to me before Chas does.” 

“Well, you might have a point there.” 

They walk to where their cars are parked. “I guess I will see you tomorrow, do you want me to pick you up?” Robert says standing beside the driver's side door. 

Aaron bites his lip knowing he shouldn’t say what he is thinking. But he does anyway, “Well we would have to leave there by seven, so you mine as well sleep over.” He thought part of him would regret giving him the invitation to come over, but none of him does. More of him is happy at the thought of being able to sleep next to Robert for the second night in a row. He can tell by the smug smile on Robert’s face that he likes the idea too. There really is no going back now, he already told him he stilled loved him today, and if the baby truly isn’t his then there really won’t even be an issue. “Okay, but we aren’t telling my mum.” 

Robert rolls his eyes over dramatically. “Why are you afraid of her?”

“Yes, and so are you so shut it.” 

Robert starts getting into his car, “Well I guess I’ll see you at home then.” 

“No, I did not say you’re moving back in,” Aaron says, but by the smile that is on his face both him and Robert know that isn’t really true. 

“It’s a matter of time,” Robert shrugs. “Bet I will beat you home.” 

Aaron shakes his head, “Robert I swear-” But Rob was already in his car starting the engine. 

**** I totally didn't proof read and edit this chapter and I apologize for any errors in advance*****


	4. Bad News

It was Robert who woke up first this time. It was a little past six in the morning, he would have to get up soon, but the moment felt surreal. Aaron, his Aaron sleeping next to him again, it was something that Robert thought would never happen again. Robert doesn’t move in fear of waking up the beautiful man next to him, in fear that when he wakes up it will be with regret for letting Robert spend the night. He knows he was greedy to not even put up a fight, offering to sleep at his own place- well Diane or Vic’s place. The opportunity seemed so surreal and he missed having Aaron sleeping soundlessly in his arms, even if he did wake up with regret, at least Robert would've had this one last time. 

“Always,” kept creeping its way into Robert’s mind. Could Aaron have really meant it? After everything that Robert has done, all the problems he has caused the two of them. The last thing he deserves is any kind of love from Aaron, but he will take what he can get from Aaron for now.

Aaron rolls over so his face is not facing Robert, “I missed waking up with you,” he mumbles still half a sleep not really knowing what he is saying, he barely finished the sentence before he fell back to sleep. 

Robert just smiles, “Not as much as I missed waking up with you,” he says in barely a whisper, he knows Aaron can’t hear him, but Aaron also won’t remember that he said it first, so it didn’t really matter.

At 6:30 am the alarm finally went off, and Aaron got out of the bed first, just like it used to be. “Come on we have to leave in a half hour, no laying around,” Aaron says looking through his bureau to find something to wear. 

“I don’t even have any clothes here to wear,” Robert groans forcing himself out of the bed. He was never a morning person. 

Aaron throws a hoodie at him without even turning around. “Throw that on over yesterdays shirt and no one will even notice.” 

*******************************

Robert insisted on driving to the doctor's office even though Aaron offered a number of times. The ride there consisted of mostly silence, there wasn’t a lot Aaron could think of to say to make where they were going any less scary. Little did he know that just his presence was helping Robert a tremendous amount. 

When they arrive at the office, they are a little early, so they decide to sit in the parking lot for a few minutes. “Oh God,” Aaron says looking down at his phone that was vibrating, Adam’s name popping up on the screen. “Hey,” Aaron says putting the phone up to his ear. 

“Mate, did Robert kidnap you or something?” 

Aaron had completely forgotten about work and Adam, the only thing that’s been on his mind the past few days was trying to help Rob. “I have a doctor’s appointment, I forgot to tell you I’m not working today.” It was barely a lie. 

“You left for lunch yesterday and never came back, and now you aren’t coming in today your work habits are getting worse,” Aaron can tell Adam is joking, but he can’t even force himself to laugh. “Alright well let me know how you make out at the doctor, I better see you tomorrow.” 

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Aaron hangs up the phone. He turns to look at Robert who is doing his best to act like he isn’t worried about what he is going to hear from the doctor, “You ready.” 

Inside they are led to a room where a doctor, who doesn’t seem to have any indication of a name is sitting behind a desk. He motions for them to sit in the chairs situated in front of the desk without looking up at them. He has piles of paperwork on his desk and Robert can’t seem to figure out how this man is a healthcare professional. “Okay,” the doctor says shuffling the papers around on the desk. “Which one of you is Robert?” He looks up from the paperwork and at the two for the first time since they walked in. 

“I am,” Robert gives his best impression of a smile. 

The doctor holds his hand out and shakes with Robert. He then holds out his hand to Aaron, “And you are?” 

“Aaron.” The doctor nods and doesn’t ask him any more questions. He appreciates it because he doesn’t really know what he would say if he was asked why he was there or what his relationship was to Robert. Ex-husband? Maybe boyfriend? Friend? It’s all still confusing. 

The doctor doesn’t waste any time getting into the facts. “We did see a mass, we need to do further testing to see if the cancer has reached the lymph nodes--” Aaron can tell that Robert wasn’t listening after the doctor said that they saw something. Robert's eyes weren't even looking at the doctor anymore, it was like they were looking through him. His breathing slowed, and his mouth hung open just a little. Aaron reaches his hand over and grabs Robert’s and intertwines his fingers. Robert gives his hand a small squeeze, but still, is having a difficult time listening to the words leaving the doctors mouth. 

Aaron focuses his attention back to what the doctor is saying if Robert isn’t listening someone has to. He goes on about the testing they will have to do and different options Robert will have depending on the severity of how far along the cancer is. He talks about how this cancer has a relatively high survival rate, but all the people who died from it probably heard those same words leave their physicians mouth at one time. When the doctor finally finishes he asks if they have any questions, and Aaron is guilty of having one very nagging one. “What about the fertility test?” He asks. 

“Unfortunately this brings more bad news,” the doctor pauses. “It looks like you are completely infertile as of right now, it is probably because of the cancer, but-” 

Aaron cuts the doctor off, “How long?” 

“What?” The doctor looks confused by the eagerness in Aaron’s voice. 

“How long has he been infertile?” 

The doctor shrugs, “Well there is no way to actually tell, but I would say well over a year, that’s how this cancer works, you become infertile before, but you can become fertile again after and get pregnant using non-traditional methods.” 

Aaron’s face has grown into a giant smile. “That’s amazing,” he says to himself, but both Robert and the doctor could hear him. 

“Excuse me,” the doctor was completely lost now. Never in his fifteen years of being a doctor has someone been excited about infertility. He looks over at Robert and sees that he too looks excited about the news. 

Robert stands up, “Thank you doc, I am sure I will see you again.” He holds his hand out now, and the doctor stands and shakes it.

The doctor wasn’t prepared for them to leave,“We haven’t gone over everything, we need to make more appointments,” The doctor begins to ramble, but Aaron and Robert were already making their way out of the room. “You need to come back tomorrow,” the doctor yells from behind his desk and has no idea if the two men heard him. 

When they are back in the car there are so many questions that both of them need to find answers to. “Do you think she knows you’re not the father?” Aaron asks as Robert pulls out of the parking lot. “Like did she do any type of paternity test? Is she just saying it’s you because you have more money?” Aaron knows that this doesn’t change the fact that Robert did sleep with her, but the thought of a constant reminder was what he was having so much trouble dealing with. Without that, a relationship his Robert may just be something they can salvage. 

“I don’t know, but we need to come up with a way to find out without letting her know we know, just in case this is some devious plan she has.” Robert would have never thought Rebecca would pull such an incredulous act against him, but then again angry people can do the craziest things. “We can go back home-- I mean your place and figure out what to do.” 

“Yeah,” Aaron smiles and then it slowly fades, “You know you need to make those other appointments though.” 

Rob’s smile disappears and is replaced by a look of emptiness. He nods, “I will.” 

“You can’t stay tonight thought since my mum and Liv will be back,” Aaron changes the subject to something not much better, for Robert anyway. Aaron was ecstatic to be seeing his little sister and mother again, but helping Robert will be much harder with them around. 

Even though Robert’s cancer was confirmed the thought of the baby not being his was enough to keep some sort of smile on each of their faces. The rest of the ride was spent with Aaron and Robert complaining about what the other wants to listen to on the radio. When they arrive back to Aaron’s house they are bickering about who should be able to pick the music.

When Aaron opens the front door Liv jumps up from behind the couch, “SURPRISE,” she yells and Aaron suddenly feels like a deer caught in headlights. He can tell by the look on Liv’s face she wasn’t at all expecting Robert to be here and she doesn’t know what exactly to say. 

“Oh wow,” he tries to sound excited, but with Robert standing next to him and knowing that his mother was probably seconds from entering the room, it was a little difficult. “I didn’t- I- wow, you’re early,” He can’t seem to find the right words for this situation. Chas walks out from where the kitchen is, “Mum I am so--” 

She doesn’t even let him finish the sentence. “What is he doing here?” Her eyes are like daggers staring at Robert, and Aaron can feel him tense up. 

Aaron stands next to Robert trying to think of anything he can say, “I-- Well, I don’t know,” is what comes out of his mouth. 

“Is he wearing your hoodie,” Chas says and the words come across more accusing than like an actual question. 

“It might be,” Aaron says. He has seen his mom made many times. Over small things, big things, silly and stupid things, but the look on her face right now, well let’s just say if looks could kill the entire village would no longer be standing. Aaron looks at Liv who he can’t tell is angry or not, and then to Robert who is obviously concerned for his life, and doesn’t know what exactly he should do or say at the moment. “I’ll text you, you should probably go,” he whispers to Robert who doesn’t take his time turning back around and getting to his car. Aaron closes the front door and prepares himself for his mother's wrath. 

Chas sits on the couch and keeps her arms tight across her body. “What’s going on?” 

Aaron thinks for a split second about just telling her the truth, but with Liv in the room and not really even knowing what exactly it is that is going on the thought disappears. Chas wouldn’t have any pity for Robert being sick and she wouldn’t care that the baby isn’t his. She only cares about the fact that he cheated on her son, which is understandable. “I had a doctors appointment and my car wouldn’t start so I called him to bring me,” he decides to go with a similar lie he told Adam. Aaron wishes that his friends and family would let him do what he wants seeing as he is a grown adult, but that wasn’t going to happen. 

Chas’s lips are puckered into a scowl and Liv is still standing in the same spot she has been. “And Robert was the first person you called?” Chas isn’t trying to hide her disappointment. “So will your car start now, if I go out there?” 

“Look it’s not a big deal, can we just celebrate the fact that two of my favorite people are finally back in town,” Aaron quickly changes the subject. He holds his arms open towards Liv and she pretends like she doesn’t want the hug, but she doesn’t put up much of a fight and walks over and hugs him. Chas eventually gives in and gives her son a giant hug, but Aaron knows this isn’t something she is going to let go.


	5. Drunk

Robert went straight to the pub from the Mill. He’s been there for a while and has had a few drinks. What else was he to do with the news he got today, he’s never been known as the responsible one. He told Aaron that if gets a chance to slip away this is where he would be.

He hadn’t even noticed Rebecca come into the pub. “I have good news,” She sits across from Robert. 

“About?” Rebecca is smiling, and Robert knows that she is going to tell him that they didn’t find anything during whatever tests they had him do. That Lawrence doesn’t have cancer, but Robert knew that all along. He reminds himself that he needs to keep acting like he doesn’t know anything, but with Chas and Liv being back the quicker he finds out answers the better. 

“Dad doesn’t have cancer,” her smile grows bigger. He wonders what it must feel like to worry about something like that and then have it come back as just a false alarm. 

He takes a sip of the beer that’s sitting in front of him, “That’s great,” he doesn't sound anywhere near enthusiastic. 

“Are you okay?” 

He studies her face, wondering what his options are for asking about the baby. He doesn’t want her to know he is suspicious, but he just needs to know the answers. He doesn’t think he’s drunk, but then again he’s lost count of how many drinks he has had. He knows that he should just let it go for now, but of course, he can’t do that with the big mouth he has. “You should get a paternity test.” 

Rebecca is taken aback by what Robert said and can’t fathom what to say at first. “I- I told you, the baby is yours.” 

“Well you’re not exactly a medical professional are you?” Robert shrugs. “I mean come on,” he leans in closer to her, “I and you both know you can’t be certain about the father.” He finishes off the beer in front of him and motions to Charity to bring him another. 

“I think he’s good,” Aaron says when he sees the state of Robert. He knew as soon as he saw the text from him that he would be drinking, Robert never did know how to handle any kind of bad news. Aaron can tell by the look on Rebecca’s face that whatever it was Robert just told her it wasn’t good. 

Robert looks over at Aaron who is making his way over to the table and then to Rebecca who looks like she could kill him any second. “Look it’s the love of my life,” he points to Aaron. Maybe he is way drunker than he thought. 

“Please, you ruined that,” Rebecca’s words were aggressive, meant to hurt Robert, but they only fueled his fire. He wanted to just tell her what the doctor had said about his infertility, but he knew that this wasn’t the time or place. 

Aaron had heard her words, aimed at Robert about their relationship and it hurt him for some reason. “No offense,” he looks at her, “But I think it you might have had something to do with you too,” his words unforgiving. He hadn’t meant to sound so vile, but he saw the bump, and he knew it was a lie. The doctor had said it himself, this entire time, these months that Aaron had been so miserable without Robert, but acted like he was fine. All this time she was lying, or does she even know the truth? Either way why was Rebecca so adamant about the child being Roberts? 

She didn’t say anything, she just sat in the seat and for the first time, Aaron thought he could see a little doubt in her eyes. Or was it fear? Fear that all this was catching up to her? But he lost focus on her when Robert decided to start talking. 

“Did your mom yell at you? Was she all, Robert is the source of all things evil, Robert will ruin your life, Robert already ruined your life, or was it more of a--,” 

Aaron loops his arm under Roberts, “Yeah, okay it’s time to go,” he pulls Robert up out of his seat.

He stumbles a little trying to gain his balance. “I am so drunk right now,” he lets most of his weight lean on Aaron.   
“So,” Rebecca stares at Aaron trying to steady Robert so he doesn’t fall over, ‘You guys are back together?” 

It was there that Aaron heard it, jealousy she couldn’t hide it in her voice. It was in her eyes too, the way they looked at him and Robert. But it was gone in a flash, she was more manipulative than Aaron had thought. If Robert didn’t drink his sorrows away he would be able to confirm with him, but he couldn't even hold himself upright. “Sort of,” Aaron says turning towards the door, Robert attempting to turn, but more getting in the way. He hadn’t seen her face when he said it, but he knows that if he had it would have been something along the lines of anger and more jealousy. 

When they get outside Aaron puts Robert into the passenger side of his car, “What about my car,” Robert pouts when they start driving away. 

“We will get it in the morning,” Aaron rolls his eyes. It’s been awhile since he has seen Robert this drunk. “There should be a water bottle in the back, drink it,” Aaron says.

Robert reaches back and grabs the water bottle he takes a sip and then looks over at Aaron, “What do you mean sort of,” he sounds offended like he just realized what Aaron said to Rebecca. 

“It’s a lot better than the hard no it would have been a few days ago,” Aaron rolls his eyes. “Now I'm gonna bring you to Diane’s tonight.” 

“Nooo,” Robert whines. “I want to go home.” 

Aaron sighs, “You don’t have any clothes there.” 

“We can get them in the morning,” Robert yawned, he was tired now and the alcohol was catching up to him and he wasn’t feeling so good. 

“Fine,” Aaron said. He looked over at Robert who was smiling about getting his way. Luckily Chas had left before Aaron, the only person he had to worry about was Liv, but she didn’t seem to mind all that much earlier. 

Getting Robert from the car to the house was a struggle, but trying to get him up the spiral staircase was going to be near impossible. Doing it quietly trying not to wake up Liv wasn’t going to happen. “Robert just picks up your feet,” Aaron is trying his best to whisper. 

“I can’t,” Robert is yelling and Aaron quickly shushes him. “I can’t,” Robert says again this time a whisper. 

“Why not,” Aaron’s voice grows louder the longer it takes for Robert to move. He is standing behind Robert in case he loses his balance and falls, all he wants to do is just shove Robert up the stairs. 

He hears footsteps and looks over at Liv who is rubbing her eyes trying to comprehend the situation that is occurring in front of her. “What the hell are you two doing?” 

“He’s drunk and-,” 

“I’m drunk,” Robert interrupts. 

Aaron takes a deep breath losing patience, “And I am trying to get him up to the room, but apparently,” Aaron directs his voice to Robert, “His legs stopped working halfway up the stairs.” 

A small smile creeps across Liv’s lips, “And I thought things would be different when I got back,” she turns around to go back to her room. 

Robert starts climbing the rest of the stairs on all fours. “Who the hell wanted the spiral staircase,” he asks when he finally reaches the top. He takes a minute to gather himself after the long climb up here. “You know I could have slept on the couch down there, that would have been easier.” 

“Get into the bedroom before I make you climb back down the stairs and sleep there,” Aaron points to the bed. 

Robert stumbles onto the bed, “You know I love you so much,” he says with his face pressed into the pillow. 

Aaron moves his head so that he doesn’t suffocate himself. “I know,” Aaron says aloud, but Robert had already fallen asleep. Robert had always fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow when he was drunk.


	6. Chest Pains

Robert's head is pounding when he wakes up, Aaron must have already gotten up. There is a glass of water and two Advil on the bed side table, Robert smiles before tilting his head back and taking them. He needs to go to Diane or Vic’s and get some clothes he’s been wearing these ones far too long. He stands up and the world feels like it is spinning, he takes a moment so he can see straight. 

He walks down the stairs and Liv and Aaron are sitting on the couch watching TV. “Sleeping beauty is up,” Liv says when she hears him coming down the stairs. “You’re doing much better with the stairs this morning,” she laughs and he doesn’t really know what she is talking about. He doesn’t really remember going up them. 

“It’s nice to see you too,” He sounds sarcastic, but Liv knows that he genuinely meant it. 

She shrugs, “I really didn’t think I would be seeing you,” she pauses and looks at Aaron and then Robert, “What changed?” 

“Can we get my car,” Robert asks changing the subject. His headache has started to subside, but there is a small pain in his chest. 

Aaron doesn’t move from the couch, “After the show is over.” 

Robert suddenly finds it hard to breathe, his heart hammers in his chest. He tries to cough, but it makes a pain in his chest that is unbearable. The pain on his face must be noticeable because Aaron has stood up and is making his way over to him. 

Aaron hears Robert’s sudden sharp breathing and turns around to see him doubled over trying to catch his breath. His face is writhed with pain. “What’s wrong,” he asks jumping over the back of the couch to where Robert is. 

The shortness of breath is making it difficult for Robert to talk, “I’m- I don’t know,” he groans trying to talk between each breath. 

“Is he okay?” Liv asks the concern on her face growing.

Aaron grabs his keys from the counter. “Okay we are going to the hospital now,” he starts to the door. Liv gets up off the couch, “You don’t need to come.” 

“I want to.” 

He can tell by the tone of her voice that arguing with her will get him nowhere, and will only waste time. By the looks of Robert, and his gasping of breath it’s not the time they can waste. “Okay,” he nods and she opens the front door and guides Robert to the car. 

By the time they got him to the car the shortness of breath had gone away, but the painful expression on his face has not. Aaron speeds down the roads, only slowing when he sees a cop in the distance. Liv is trying to google what could be happening to Robert in the back seat, asking him questions about his pain. 

When they get to the hospital it is crowded, but Aaron fights his wait up to the desk, so Robert can get attention immediately. As soon as he explains the chest pain two nurses rush over to where Liv is standing with Robert they waste no time getting him into a wheelchair and taking him away. 

“What’s going on,” Liv 

Aaron sits next to her. “I’m not sure,” it wasn’t a lie. He didn’t know what was going on right now. But he could tell by the look on her face that she knew that there was more to the story. “Okay look,” he pauses looking around the waiting room to make sure no one he knows is there, “Robert has cancer, but we don’t know much about it yet and can’t do much.” 

Liv is staring at Aaron like she doesn’t believe what he is saying. It takes her a minute to process. “What do you mean you can’t do much,” her voice is scared. 

“He,” Aaron sighs and rubs his face trying to figure out a way to make Robert not sound like a terrible person. “He switched his blood with Lawrence's, and the White’s can’t find out, so-”

Liv cuts him off, “Stop talking.” She is looking over his shoulder. 

When he turns around Rebecca is standing in the waiting room with her father. Aaron tries to sink lower in his chair, but it’s too late and she is already walking over towards them leaving Lawrence to check in by himself. “What a surprise what are you two doing here,” her voice goes right through Aaron, and he just wants to walk away from her. 

Aaron looks at her. “Robert had a little pain,” he figures telling her won’t be an issue. 

“Is he okay,” She sounds concerned, but Aaron can’t imagine that it’s real. He assumes everything about her is fake. 

Aaron shrugs, “Yeah he’s great, that’s why we are here,” he motions to the entire hospital. “Why are you here?” 

“Dad has another checkup,” Rebecca can tell that he doesn’t want to talk about Robert, especially with her, so she turns her focus to Liv. “Liv it’s great to see you, when did you get back.” 

Liv looks at her like she is the scum beneath her feet. “I don’t like you,” Liv’s voice is vicious and full of spite. She didn’t realize the vile distaste she would feel when she saw Rebecca again. Liv can only think of how broken her brother was when he came to visit after the situation with her and Robert happened. She doesn’t think she’s ever disliked someone more than Rebecca right now. 

Rebecca takes a small step back she doesn’t know how to respond to that. How would anyone respond to that? By the smile on Aaron’s face, she can tell that he thought it was funny. “I’m sorry to hear that, but if it’s because-,” 

Liv interrupts her now, “Look, I don’t want to hear your sob story about how it’s poor you.” Rebecca opens her mouth to talk, but Liv doesn’t let her, “I haven’t been back that long, but I’m not going to let you act like this is all Robert’s fault.” Liv can’t really think of that many times where she had defended Robert, and she didn’t think she would be doing it now. 

Aaron is looking at his sister, she is saying things that he should’ve, but never did. Rebecca looks almost scared of Liv, which he isn’t going to say she shouldn’t be. He knows should tell Liv to stop and just let it go, but he is enjoying this way too much. 

“Look he was the one that texted me that night, and-,” Rebecca is desperately trying to explain her side of the story, but Liv isn’t having any of it. 

Liv actually laughs and shakes her head, “He was drunk, right? Way more drunk than you I imagine, and you let it happen," She is pitiless, anger showing in every single word she says, "You could've just left, I know it, you know it. Why did you even show up in the first place?" She lets the question linger, before continuing, "I mean come on Rebecca, stop acting like a victim when you’re not," She pauses staring at Rebecca, and if looks could kill she would be dead, "If anyone is, it's Robert.” 

Rebecca’s mouth falls open, the last thing she thought she would have to deal with was a fifteen year old. “You weren’t even in the village,” She starts to say but trails off not knowing where she was going with her point. Liv didn't have to be, she heard the story from Aaron who heard it from Robert. She isn't making up anything she is saying, she could have been in the village and known just as much. She doesn’t want to sound defensive, but she can’t help it. “Look, I am carrying his baby and-.” She sees Aaron rolls his eyes, “What?” She fires at him. She is angry now and wishes she never walked over her. 

“Nothing,” he shrugs which just riles her up more. 

Rebecca stands her ground. “No, enlighten me, please.” 

“It’s not his,” as soon as the words leave his mouth he regrets them. This is not the time or place to be having this conversation. But when he looks at her he can tell that she feels trapped, but only for a second. Liv is looking at him confused, but he can explain the situation to her later. 

Rebecca is looking at Aaron unsure if he is just saying it, or if he actually believes them. She can tell that Liv has no idea what he is talking about, but he, he looks stern. He isn’t just saying them, no, he believes them, and she has no idea why. But she can’t afford to say something wrong right now. “I don’t know why you would say that, but I should be going.” She turns and walks back to where her father is sitting. 

Liv is staring at Aaron waiting for an explanation. “Okay let me just tell you the whole story,” he begins and she listens to every word.


	7. Diagnosis

It doesn't take that long for a doctor to walk up to where they are sitting, “You’re with Mr. Sugden?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron nods. 

She takes a seat beside him, “You’re lucky you got him here. He had a pulmonary embolism, directly related to cancer he was seen for the other day.” 

“What is it? 

“It’s a blood clot that blocks the blood from flowing into the lungs, which is why he had a hard time breathing,” The doctor takes the time to explain everything to them. “He is on a blood thinner right now, which should get rid of them embolism.” She stands up, “He does need surgery to get rid of the tumor, sooner than later.” She starts walking, “I’ll take you to him.” 

Aaron and Liv follow her through the hallways of the hospital. “This is his room if you have any questions just ask one of the nurses for me.” She opens the door for them and they walk in. 

Robert is laying on the bed with his eyes closed, he looks so tired. He is pale and it looks like he is barely breathing now. It’s scary seeing him like this, and not his usual self. Aaron and Liv sit on a small couch, that can be turned into a bed. Robert opens his eyes and squints trying to focus on Liv and Aaron. 

“You look awful,” Liv says and Robert smiles, he wouldn’t expect her to say anything different to him. 

“Thanks.” He says and then his eyes finally decide to focus. Now he can see that there is some tension and there is something they are hiding from him. “What?” He asks concerned it was something about his health that he didn’t know about yet. But then he sees a small smile form on Aaron’s lips. 

“Liv just told off Rebecca.” 

Robert sits up, surprised by the mention of her name, “She was here?” 

Aaron nods, “Yeah, for her father.” 

“Does she know I was here?” 

“Yeah, but we didn’t explain why ” Liv says.

Robert gives Aaron a look that has, what does she know written all over it. “She knows everything,” Aaron says. 

Robert shrugs, “Well, you would have found out somehow,” He smiles at Liv.   
“What do they have me taking? When can I leave?” 

“Blood thinners,” Aaron pauses and takes a hard look at Robert. The longer he looks at him the sicker he looks. He is cooped up in a hospital bed, and every day that passes that he doesn’t get treatment the worse his situation will get. 

A new doctor comes in the room this time, a man. “Robert, how are we doing?” He asks walking across the room and standing next to Aaron and Liv. 

“I’ve been a lot better,” Robert tries not to let his annoyance show in his voice, but he fails. He is trying to see what his name tag says since he didn’t introduce himself to a normal doctor, but he is too far away for him to see. 

The doctor smiles, “Yeah, well we got more test results back and I think we need to do your surgery tomorrow morning.” The doctor’s smile was throwing Robert off. Emergency surgery didn’t seem like something he should be smiling about. 

“Why?” Liv asks concern all over her face, “Is it that bad?” 

He looks at her, “It’s just something that needs to be taken care of immediately before it has the chance to get worse.” Then he looks over at Aaron and sticks out his hand, “Hi, I’m Greg.” 

“Yeah, I can read,” Aaron points to the name tag on his chest. 

So know he introduces himself, and it’s just so he can flirt with Aaron. When Robert is feeling better the first thing he is going to do is try and figure where the hell this guy got his doctorate. “Hi, can we talk about me,” Robert doesn’t even bother trying to hide the jealousy in his voice. If he didn’t feel like he was standing on death’s door step he would be kicking Greg out of the room. 

The doctor turns back around, “Of course, so we will need to stop the blood thinners, so we can do the surgery after we will put you back on them to get rid of the embolism. The surgery is slightly complicated and long,” He pauses to make sure everyone is listening. “We have to perform a Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection,” Robert never understood why doctors have to explain things in a way they know people don’t understand. He just stares at him waiting for him to explain it in small details. “So what that means, is we have to go through your abdomen and take the lymph nodes out.” 

Robert nods, “How long is the recovery?” 

“Three to five days in the hospital, and then up to three months until you feel 100%.” 

“Are there any risks?” Aaron asks. 

Greg smiles at Aaron, “Normal risks like, possible infection or adverse reactions,” he isn’t even looking at Robert, “and It has the possibility to hit nerves that make it hard to father children.” 

“Well Greg, that’s not really our main concern at the moment,” Robert’s words are bitter. 

Greg turns back to face Robert for the first time since he started talking about the risks, “You can call me Doctor McCullen.” Aaron can’t help but let a laugh escape his lips and Robert just glares at the Doctor. “Usually it is a concern with men getting ready to have children around your age.” 

Robert’s blood is now boiling, “I’m not getting anyone pregnant.” 

“Well I mean that’s still really all up in the air,” Aaron says. 

“Wait,” The doctor says, “You’re gay?” 

“I’m bi,” the doctor looks at him like he has four heads. "Like bi-sexual, like the b in LGBT," Robert keeps wishing he had enough energy to get out of this bed. 

“What about you?” He turns his attention to Aaron. 

“I’m gay.” 

“He’s with me,” Robert wants to sucker punch this supposed health care professional in the nose right about now, “I am with him, we are together.” 

“Well I mean that’s also still all up in the air,” Aaron smiles. Robert can tell that most of Aaron is kidding, but there is still part of him that is still having a hard time with the situation. 

The doctor looks at him confused, “I thought you said you were bi?” 

“He did,” Liv is in on the conversation now. 

Aaron is now trying to figure out what this guy is so confused about, “That means he likes men and women, it’s not really that hard of a concept.” 

Doctor McCullen shakes his head slowly. He can tell by the looks he is getting by the people in the room that it is time for him to leave. “Well if you have any more questions, don’t be afraid to ask I will be assisting with the surgery myself.” He makes his way to the door, “A nurse will be in here soon, to take you off the blood thinners.” He says already halfway out the door.

“He is the most unprofessional person I have ever encountered,” Robert begins as soon as the door behind Greg was closed. “I mean why was he so confused? And he is assisting with my surgery? He is going to kill me on purpose, so he can be with you,” he points at Aaron. He could continue his rant, but he is pretty tired already. 

Aaron hasn’t seen Robert this jealous, “Well I mean if he kills you I think I would be hard pressed to go out with him.” 

“I don’t know he was pretty cute, and he makes good money,” Liv says just trying to push Robert’s buttons. 

“I make good money!” Robert is practically screaming. 

Liv and Aaron are both laughing, “Okay, calm down we are just kidding,” Aaron says still laughing. He missed all three of them being together in the same room, it’s been too long. 

“It’s not funny,” Robert pouts. 

“You’re quite the hypocrite.” 

“That’s not funny either,” Robert continues to pout. 

Aaron stands up, “Okay we are going to go eat and grab some of your things since it looks like we are going to be here a while, and you need some rest.” 

Liv stands up, “Thank god I’m starving, I have actually missed the pub food.” 

“Okay, Rob we will be back tonight, please don’t get into any fights with cute doctors,” Aaron can’t help, but hold this against Robert. It’s too funny seeing him getting all angry and jealous about this, it’s about time the tables were turned. 

Robert rolls his eyes, “I’m just going to ignore you.” 

Aaron smiles, “Okay see you soon.” 

“Mhmm,” Robert says already starting to doze off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is mostly a filler chapter. Next chapter should be much better than this one, I'm sorry. 
> 
> Also I move back into college on Sunday, so I am very busy but I will try my best to update!


	8. Bad Situation

On the drive back Aaron can tell that Liv is worried, she is doing her best to mask it, but as someone who is a pro at that he can tell. "He's going to be okay," he says pulling back into the village. 

"Are you sure?" 

He nods, "Yeah I am." He decides to go to Diane's house first to grab Robert's stuff and then go to eat, which Liv's growling stomach doesn't agree with. "Look you can wait here I will run in and grab a few things and be back out. 

He knocks on the door and Diane opens it, "You seem to have kidnapped Robert." 

"I'm actually here to get some stuff for him." Diane moves out of the door way and shows Aaron where all of Robert's stuff is and walks into the other room. 

It was weird seeing all of Robert's things cooped up here. He didn't really have a place to stay, so all of his things are strewn around the room. He opened the first bag and a small box was sitting on the top. Aaron knew what it was, and his heart hurt, but he opened it anyway. But when he noticed there were two rings in the box he felt his heart drop to the bottom of his chest. He hadn't even noticed that Robert took his off, how had he not noticed? He shoves the box at the bottom of the duffle bag he was bringing to Robert. He has no primal reason for doing it, he just does. He shoves a few more things in there, clothes, books, magazines, phone charger, basic things that Robert might need. After he thanks, Diane and runs back to the car where an inpatient Liv is waiting. 

"Took you long enough," She says when he gets back into the car. 

He puts the duffle bag in the back seat, "You hungry?" 

Liv looks at him, and he looks a little thrown off, "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah," He smiles, "Just hungry." 

When and Aaron and Liv get to the Pub Aaron see’s that his mum is already back at it behind the counter. They sit at one of the tables across from the bar and she walks over to them, “No Robert? What a shame,” She says sarcastically and sits next to Liv. 

“Yeah, isn’t it,” Aaron 

Chas places her hands on the table. “What the hell are you doing?” 

Aaron shrugs, “I can’t help it, he makes me happy,” He smiles and looks at his mom. 

Chas sighs, “I can’t understand why.” 

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t need to understand,” Liv chimes in. Robert and Aaron are a sense of security for her. She likes the idea of them being happy together in a crazy relationship, than them miserable apart living semi-idealistic lives. She doesn’t want to see either of them unhappy, and being apart makes them unhappy. 

Chas changes her focus to Liv, “You're on his side?” 

“I always am,” Liv smiles and high-fives a smiling Aaron across the table. 

“We aren’t done talking about this,” Chas stands up. “What do you guys want to eat?” 

“Whatever the special is,” Aaron shrugs 

Liv nods in agreement, “Same.” 

It doesn’t take long for their food to be cooked, but when it comes out Victoria comes out to bring it. “Where’s Robert?” She says as she places the plates in front of the two. Aaron looks around the room to see who was in the pub. “Is it some type of secret?” 

“He’s in the hospital,” Aaron begins saying. 

“What? Why?” 

Aaron looks at his food, he’s starving. “It’s a long story, but I am sure he could use some company, and who better than his sister until we can get back there.” 

Victoria is already taken off her apron, “Is he at Hotten?” 

Aaron nods, “Yeah, but don’t tell anyone he’s there.”   
“Where are you going,” Marlon yells when he sees Vic heading to the door. 

“You can handle the crowd,” She says not even stopping and by the time she was done talking she was already out the door. 

Marlon looks confused, “Does anyone actually work in this place.” He disappears back into the kitchen. 

Chas is looking at Aaron, but Aaron ignores her and continues to eat. “I think some people are going to start catching on,” he whispers to Liv and she nods. 

Liv hadn’t been paying attention to Victoria, she noticed that Rebecca had walked in and sat down and a few moments later checked her phone walked to the back bathrooms. Liv knows she shouldn’t be suspicious about someone going to the bathroom, but she can’t help it. “I’ll be right back,” She says to Aaron who nods, too encompassed in his own food to worry. 

Liv starts walks to the bathroom, but on her way there she hears Rebecca’s voice coming from the inside. Instead of walking in she presses her ear up to the door and tries to listen to what she is saying. 

“They are catching on, I’m telling you,” Rebecca’s voice is almost frantic. 

Liv hears another person, a male, laugh. “They are too dense, you’re paranoid,” The voice is familiar. Liv goes through all the people in the village through her head trying to place the voice. 

“Look, Robert said it, and then Aaron said it. They are pretty much back together,” she pauses, “I don’t know how the hell that happened,” Liv can’t see Rebecca, but she can picture her defeated face. “I thought I had him wrapped around my finger,” she is whining now and Liv rolls her eyes. 

Liv presses her ear harder against the door to hear the man's voice, “I don’t know why you thought that Robert will never give up Aaron for anyone.” And then it clicks in her head, it’s Ross. Ross is in on whatever it is that Rebecca is up to. "Maybe you're the dense one?" 

“He certainly won’t when he finds out the baby isn’t his.” Even though Aaron, Robert, and Liv were assuming that the baby wasn’t Robert’s, actually hearing the words was another story. She can tell Aaron and Robert and now they have something against Rebecca that will help the situation they are in now. Maybe she can even tell Chas to help get her off Aaron's back. 

Just as Liv was about to turn around and walk back to the table the door to the bathroom swings open and Ross is standing in front of her. “Well, look who it is.” He says looking down at Liv. "When did you get back in town?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied this is the filler chapter, and it's short, and I am sorry. 
> 
> But I started school again so probably updates twice a week now. 
> 
> Anyways, how dramatic do we want this to be? Like I have a super dramatic next chapter or a semi-dramatic next chapter and I don't know which one to use.


	9. An Odd Savior

“I got here the other day,” She smiles. She turns to leave but Ross grabs her wrist. She winces and tries to pull her hand away. 

Rebecca swats his hand away from Liv, “What the hell are you doing?” 

Ross loosens his grip, but he doesn’t let her go. “She heard you,” He says angrily. “She’s going to tell Aaron, what do you want me to do?” Ross is angrier than Rebecca is. 

“So is the baby yours,” Liv asks Ross not able to hold back her tongue making matters worse. “Or is there even a baby at all,” She looks at Rebecca. 

“It’s not like she can prove anything.” 

Ross laughs, “She doesn’t need to prove anything, Robert will believe her. When she tells him the gig is over, he won’t give you any more money, you won’t have anything against him.” He looks at Liv who he is still holding onto, “We need to get rid of her.” Ross forces Liv to follow behind him.

Ross walks slowly and opens the back door to the Kitchen that leads to the bathrooms. Marlon is working away at fryers on the opposite side, “Say anything I’ll kill you and then your brother, understand?” Liv nods Ross tightens his grip on her wrist and she is forced to follow Ross and Rebecca through the kitchen to the back entrance of the pub. 

As soon as they are outside Rebecca becomes more anxious, she bites her lip, “I think Aaron will notice his little sister missing don’t you?” 

“I think he would, yeah,” Aaron says turning the corner of the pub 

Ross let’s go of Liv immediately. He and Rebecca both look like deer caught in headlights.   
Aaron is beyond angry and looks like he is about to give Ross the beating he deserved but the last thing she needs is for him to get arrested. She jumps up between Ross and Aaron, “Hey, let’s just go.” 

Aaron halts, “I could kill him right now,” his words spew out life venom. He looks away from Ross who hasn’t moved and looks at Liv. 

“That was a mistake mate,” Ross says before hitting both Aaron and Liv over the head with a pipe that was laying in the back alley way of the pub. 

“What the hell,” Rebecca starts to yell

Ross cuts her off, “Shut up,” He practically spits. “People can hear you.” 

“What are you going to do with them,” Rebecca is trying not to yell, but this has gone much further than she anticipated. “I mean what are you going to do? Kill Aaron and his fifteen-year-old sister? Not like anyone will catch onto that one Ross.” 

Ross paces the alley for a moment, “Just go get my car,” he tosses her the keys to his car. “Pull it up the alley way.” 

“Someone will notice us loading two dead weight bodies into your car,” Rebecca says refusing to get the car. 

Ross gets in her face, “Stop acting like you don’t want me to get rid of them.” 

She sighs and complies running off to go get the car. While she does Ross looks around at his surroundings. Not a single part of him feels bad for knocking either of them out, he was surprised that Aaron went down so easily, he must have hit him just in the right spot. Rebecca pulled up and ran over to where Ross was still standing. “Now what?” 

“Help me get it to look like I am helping Aaron to my car,” Ross said. He wraps one of Aarons' arms around his shoulders and then with all his will power drags Aaron to the car. Bob looks at them funny, “Too much to drink,” Ross yells and Bob just nods and walks across the street the other way. Rebecca opens the back seat door, and Ross lays Aaron down across the seats. Liv was easy to lift and he quickly put her beside her brother. 

Ross sits at wheel with Rebecca on the driver's side, “Where are we gonna bring them?” She asks looking at them in the back seat.

“No one is at home farm right?” 

She looks at him suspiciously, ‘No, but we can’t-”

He cuts her off, “We don’t have a lot of options right now.” And he puts the car in drive and speeds down the road towards the home farm. 

****

Aaron’s eyes are heavy, but he forces them open. He instinctively tries to move, but his arms are bound with a rope. There isn’t a gag in his mouth, but he knows Ross and Rebecca aren’t far away and screaming won’t help his case. He is tied to the leg of a dresser, he surveys his surroundings, bed, dresser, closet, he’s in someone’s bedroom and it’s not Ross’s. He looks to his left and Liv is still knocked out, tied to the other end of the dresser. Her forehead has a dry stream of blood from where Ross hit her, as soon as Aaron gets out of her Ross is a dead man. 

He tries to wiggle his hands loose but has no luck. He sits there, not yet panicking, but has no idea what to do. He notices Liv start to sit up straighter and force her eyes open, she looks frantically around the room. “Hey, it’s okay,” Aaron whispers. 

Liv looks at her older brother and can’t seem to find how in any way that this is okay. “My head is throbbing,” is all she manages to say before, Ross bursts through the door Rebecca in tow. 

“Look who finally woke up,” Aaron is scared by how enthusiastic Ross is. 

“Why do you have us tied up? Don’t you think this is a little extreme,” Aaron keeps his composure and looks Ross in the eyes. Aaron can’t see any type of guilt or doubt in Ross’s eyes, he enjoys this. But Rebecca, she is scared, this is way out of her league this isn’t something she has ever done. 

Ross paces the room, Aaron tenses the closer he gets to Liv, but Ross doesn’t do anything. “Well I am doing this to get money, and as revenge, because I hate your husband,” He pauses and leans down to Aaron, “Oh, sorry it’s ex now right? We ruined that.” He motions to the space between him and Rebecca. 

“You?” Aaron says confused. 

Rebecca grabs Ross’s arm, “What are you doing?” 

“We mine as well tell him he will be dead soon anyway.” Aaron didn’t think that Ross was serious earlier, but he is starting to realize Ross has no intentions of letting either Liv or Aaron out of this place alive. Aaron glances over at Liv, her eyes are wide with fear, and her breathing is heavy. 

Rebecca stares at him in disbelief, “We can’t actually kill them.” 

“Sweetheart, you haven’t been in this town long enough.” Ross turns his attention back to Aaron, “Anyways,” he smiles and it sends a chill up Aaron’s spine, “Robert, never actually slept with you Rebecca did he?” She shakes her head no and Aaron can’t seem to understand what is happening right now. 

“He would have,” Rebecca says, “If he didn’t pass out as soon as his head hit the bed,” Rebecca is defensive and Aaron is just staring at her. This whole time it had been the baby that was the reason he couldn’t get passed, Rebecca and Robert. The idea of a constant reminder running around the village. And now he is hearing that it never even actually happened, it was just an all most. 

Ross stands back up. “So, she left and came back to the date that we were supposed to be having, and I could tell that something was up.” Ross uses his hands to speak and it makes him look more diabolical than he actually is. “Eventually she told me, I knew he would have been too drunk to remember anything, so we came up with a plan. Trick Robert, get money, ruin your relationship, and let me just say you made it too easy.” 

Aaron’s fear has grown into absolute anger, “What is wrong with you two? Why?”

“Well I like money and hate Robert, and well, she,” he points at Rebecca, “She is in love with Robert, and apparently you were in the way of that.” He shrugs and walks across the room. 

“So what about the baby? Who’s baby is it?” Aaron is full of questions, and shouldn’t be asking them in these circumstances, but he can’t help it. 

Rebecca reaches under the back of her shirt and then pulls a fake bump out from her shirt, “It’s fake. All the scans, the appointments, the scares, all fake.” She actually smiles and Aaron has never simultaneously been so angry and felt so bad for someone at the same time. “I was going to have a miscarriage soon, that way everyone would feel bad for me.” 

“You’re psychotic,” Aaron spits at her. 

Ross walks over towards Liv and sits in front of her. “Touch her, and you're a dead man.” Any calmness Aaron had before is gone. Ross takes his index finger and moves the hair out of Liv’s face and she winces as soon as his finger makes contact. Aaron is using all his power to get his hands loose from the ties, but he can’t get free. 

“If she just minded her own business, this wouldn’t have happened.” Ross takes a pair of gloves out from his back pocket.

Aaron is thrashing his arms against the leg of the dresser screaming bloody murder, “Don’t touch her.” Liv is frozen in fear watching Ross as he slowly puts on one glove and wiggles his fingers. “Ross,” Aaron screams again his voice is cracking this time. He has lost too many people in his life and losing Liv is something he can’t bear the thought of. 

Liv looks over at her brother who she has never seen in such a hysterical state. “It’s okay,” She says so calmly. The tears run down her face slowly, but her eyes are hard. Those words Aaron had said to her just a little while ago, but now it was so painfully obvious that it wasn’t okay. But she felt the need to say it. 

“Don’t worry, you will follow soon after,” Ross says. 

Aaron hadn’t noticed the wet tears running down his face till now. Watching as his little sister accepted her fate. “Please Ross,” he is begging now. Ross has both gloves on and is smiling. Getting enjoyment out of what he is doing. 

“You know, this,” Ross laughs, “Well this, will really ruin Robert, he won’t be able to live without either of you.” He reaches towards Liv who is instinctively trying to keep her head and neck away from Ross. 

Rebecca just stands in the corner of the room watching everything that is happening. She is acting like she doesn’t think this is what her and Ross to do, but Aaron can see it in her face that she doesn’t have an issue with it. She takes them all by surprise when she motions for Ross to stop. “Wait,” She says walking over to the door. 

“Excuse me?” Ross looks at her, his hand's inches from Liv’s neck. She takes the opportunity to bite down on his finger and he jumps back from her in pain. 

“Oh my god,” She opens the door slightly to listen. “Chrissie is home.” 

There are footsteps running up the stairs, “Rebecca? Who is yelling? I called the police.” Aaron never thought he would be this excited to hear Chrissie’s voice. 

“I thought she was away?” Ross says furiously. 

“Help,” Aaron screams and both Ross and Rebecca turn to him. Now the fear is in their eyes, there is no explaining this one. 

Chrissie opens the door and her mouth drops when she sees the scene that is playing out in front of her. “What-- What are you? What’s going on?” 

“You’re psychopathic sister, and her henchman is trying to kill us,” Liv says. Her voice is full of both anger and fear. 

Chrissie looks at her sister who is still holding the fake bump in her hand. Aaron watches as Chrissie comprehends what that means, he had thought she would have at least known about the fake baby, but the look on her face says otherwise. “What did you do?” Chrissie’s says in disbelief. The sound of sirens screech towards the house. “Why?” 

Rebecca snaps, “Because, I deserve love, I want it, I should get it,” She is screaming, and Chrissie and Ross take a step back from her. “He,” she points at Aaron, “He ruined everything, it’s his fault, not mine.” 

Chrissie stares at her sister like she doesn’t even know her anymore, “No, Bex, Aaron ruined my relationship,” She pauses, “You ruined his, you never actually had one, not a real one with Robert.” 

The sirens are outside the house now, and they can all hear the cops rushing up the stairs to the room, moments away from arresting Ross and Rebecca. “I could have,” Rebecca says as one of the cops enters the room. 

Chrissie points at Ross and then at her very own sister, “They were going to kill them.” 

Two more cops come into the room forcing Ross and Rebecca to put their hands behind their backs. “It was all her, I had nothing to do with it,” Ross argues as they pull him towards the door. 

Rebecca doesn’t say anything, she just watches Chrissie the entire time she is being cuffed and walked out the door. And Chrissie watches her, trying to find some sort of resemblance of the sister she thought she knew and grew to like, but she can’t find any. 

The cops cut both Aaron and Liv free and as soon as she can Liv runs into the arms of her older brother, “I wouldn’t have let him do anything to you,” Aaron says hugging her as closely as possible. He knows that if Chrissie hadn’t shown up, he very well may have been forced to watch his sister die. He watches as a paramedic tends to the cut on top of Liv’s head and the feels around on his own for where he was hit.

He turns to Chrissie who is still in some type of state of shock from the events that happened, “Thank you so much,” He starts to say, but he doesn’t really know what to say to her. 

“She was actually going to let him kill both of you,” Chrissie says looking at Aaron. 

Aaron shrugs, “For what it’s worth, she was kind of against it, but she wasn’t going to stop it.” 

“You’re fifteen,” She looks at Liv, not registering anything that is being said to her, “She was going to let a fifteen-year-old be murdered, here in our house, and be okay with it.” Chrissie runs a hand through her hair, “Because she wanted Robert Sugden?” Her tone has gone from shock to just confused. “I mean, would you have murdered me?” 

Aaron is slightly uncomfortable, but he knows that Chrissie is just trying to make sense of her sister's actions. “I can’t say I would have, no.” 

“I think Robert would murder someone for you,” Liv says. 

Aaron believes it too, but with a room with ten cops in it is probably not the place to be saying it. “I don’t think he would,” Is all he says, but Chrissie even gives him an unconvinced look. 

“I need all of you to come down to the station,” A cop who has been taking pictures of the room says to all three of them. 

Aaron looks around the room for a clock and it is almost three in the morning. “How long will it take I need to be at the hospital in a few hours my,” he doesn’t know what to refer to Robert as know that he has all this new information, “My- my Robert is having surgery.” 

“Your Robert?” Even in this situation Liv still finds the time to make fun of him. 

The cop looks at Aaron funny, “It won’t take long we need your statement, you can come back later with more details.”   
“Why is he getting surgery?” Chrissie asks. 

Aaron nods, he doesn’t know how much Chrissie knows, but he can’t imagine Rebecca would have told her Robert was helping out around Home Farm. “Yeah he, uh,” he pauses, “He has cancer.” 

“I hope he’s okay,” She says. Aaron didn’t really realize until now how different the White sister really was. And a little part of him feels guilty for what he did to her life, but it’s just a little part of him. She starts walking with another officer,“You know,” she says stopping at the door, “he didn’t suffer half as much without me as he does without you, don’t let my sister be the end of you two.” And with that, she leaves Liv and Aaron with the remaining officers in the room. 

“Where the hell did that come from?” Liv says. 

Aaron looks down at his ring finger that is still without his wedding ring and shrugs, “Some people have bigger hearts than we think.” He pulls Liv into the side of him, she is still shaken up by the events, but at least they are both still alive. “Let’s go to the station, so we can see Robert, yeah?” 

Liv smiles up at Aaron, “Yeah, he probably thinks we aren’t coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exciting news I made a Robron side blog on Tumblr. @/SomeoneHugSugden   
> Follow me, cry with me, complain with me, talk about Robron with me. It will be fun.


	10. Rings

Aaron didn’t know what time exactly Robert’s surgery was at, but he was basically flooring it from the police station to the hospital. Liv was asleep on the passenger's side, and Aaron couldn’t help, but look at the cut on her head. Chas had called him a number of times, the word must have already got around the village, but he didn’t have time for her right now. He feels a little guilty for not just at least letting her know they are okay, but he also knows she won’t hang up the phone once he answers. 

When they get to the hospital Liv trudges her way through the halls following Aaron. Aaron didn’t even check the front desk to see if he was moved to another room. When he walks into the room he sees that Vic was still in the room with Robert

Robert looks at the state of Aaron and Liv. Aaron has a red stain, that resembles blood a little too much, and Liv can barely keep her eyes open. “You both look terrible, where have you been?” 

Aaron sets the duffle bag down. “Oh you want to know where we’ve been, well I don’t think you’re ready for this.” He sits on the edge of Robert’s hospital bed. “Rebecca and Ross tried to kidnap Liv--” 

“Wait, are you being serious?” Vic interrupts him. But by the look on Robert’s face, he is thinking the same thing. 

Liv nods, “True story.” 

“Anyways,” Aaron says, “So, they try to kidnap her because she overheard them talking, so I’m about to kill Ross and then Liv tells me to stop, so I lose my focus and Ross hits both of us over the head with a freaking pipe and knocks us out.” Aaron doesn’t waste any time getting to the point of the story.

Robert sits up in bed as best as he can, “Are you okay?” He looks at Aaron and then Liv and notices the cut on the top of Liv’s forehead for the first time since they came in. 

“Yeah,” Liv smiles. She is sitting in a chair next to Vic resting her head on Vic’s shoulder. He can tell that she is completely exhausted.

Aaron is still running off of adrenaline from everything that has happened in the past twelve hours. “Somehow they manage to get us up the stairs in homefarm, and tie both of us up. Eventually, Ross comes in to tell us his grand plan, and you are seriously not ready for this.” He taps Robert’s foot, it seemed almost with excitement. 

“I wasn’t really ready for any of this story,” Robert says. 

Aaron takes a deep breath, “Well,” he pauses unsure of how to tell Robert news that has been the sole reason for his life being miserable. “Moral of his scheme was to get revenge on you, and he used Rebecca to do it. You and her-- You never actually slept with her,” Robert’s face drops, and Aaron watches as he tries to put the pieces in his head together. “She was never pregnant she wore a fake baby bump, she was going to pretend to have a miscarriage or something.” Robert stays silent, he can’t find any words to coherently form a sentence. “She did it because she wanted to break us up, which worked, and Ross did it to make your life miserable, which also worked.”

“That conniving little bitch,” Vic is filled with fury. “I- I let her into my house, I thought-- Where is she now, I have a few words for her.” 

Aaron can’t help but smile, “Well her and Ross are at the station getting booked right now because Ross was going to suffocate both of us to death, and get this Chrissie came home and saved us.” 

“Chrissie?” Robert says confused. The deeper Aaron goes into this story the more unbelievable it is. 

Aaron nods, “Yeah, it was crazy, but we didn’t die and you’re not having a baby, and she’s going to jail,” Aaron shrugs, “Well probably going to jail.” 

Vic looks at Liv who has fallen asleep, “How about I take her home to sleep a little, the surgery will take a while, I will bring her back after.”

Liv lifts her head up waking up momentarily and looks like she is about to protest, but her head slumps back into a slumber before she can. Vic rubs her arm and Liv forces her eyes open, “No I want to stay here.” 

Aaron, Robert, and Vic all know there is really no use in arguing with her. “Okay well how about we go to the waiting room, his surgery will be happening soon anyway,” Vic says, and Liv doesn't argue with this. 

Liv stands up and walks over to Robert’s bed, “Hey, um- I will see you soon, you better be okay.” 

Vic runs her hand through her older brothers hair, “I love you, and I will also see you soon.” She walks with Liv to the door, “Aaron I will save you a seat for when you’re ready,” she smiles and then they are gone. 

When they leave and Aaron and Robert are alone there is a silence between them, it wasn’t an awkward, or angry silence. It was a silence that allowed everything that had just been said in the past few minutes settle. “I don’t really know what to say,” Robert begins, “You just told me a lot of information.” 

“Yeah,” Aaron agrees, “But it wasn’t bad information.” 

“I wouldn’t say you and Liv getting almost murdered is good information.” 

Aaron smiles, “Yeah, but, look I know this isn’t the best time, but- I- well when I was picking up things from your house, I- um-,” Aaron stumbles over his words, he reaches for the duffle bag unsure if will actually do what he thinks he is going to. “So the thing is-” But he is interrupted before he can finish his sentence.

Doctor McCullen walks into the room and Aaron watches Robert’s eyes basically roll into the back of his head. “What do you want,” Robert says like the doctor was someone who was making his life more difficult, and not trying to save him. 

“Well, Robert-” 

“You can call me Mr. Sugden,” Robert cuts him off and Aaron has to choke back a laugh. 

Doctor McCullen sighs, “Mr. Sugden, I am just here to let you know they are preparing the room, and wanted to check and make sure you don’t have any last minute questions or concerns.” 

Robert shakes his head, “Nope, I’m good.” 

“Okay, well the surgery will take about four hours, so if your friend wants to go wait in the waiting room while we get you prepped

Robert emits almost a growl, “He isn’t my friend.” 

“Well he has been here a lot for someone who isn’t a friend,” Doctor McCullen says confused. 

Robert can’t wait for his surgery to be over so he can go home, and be out of the presence of this so called doctor. “Are you daft,” Robert says, “He’s my, well he’s my,” 

“Husband? Fiance? Boyfriend? Lover? I mean possibilities are endless,” Aaron says slipping the wedding ring onto Robert’s finger. 

Robert hadn’t even noticed Aaron rifling through the duffle bag while he was arguing with the doctor. And he can’t say he wasn’t surprised when Aaron put the ring on his finger, but the smug smile he was giving the doctor said a lot. 

“Well, then you can stay a while longer, until they come to get him,” Doctor McCullen is obviously surprised. But he walks out of the room leaving them alone again. 

Aaron stares at Robert, “I had a more emotional plan to do that, but I figured that was as good as a time as any, hospital proposals seem to be, like our thing.” 

“Are you proposing to me?” Robert hasn’t been able to wipe the smile from his face. 

Aaron shrugs, “Well, a wise woman once told me not to let her crazy sister be the end of us.” 

“Chrissie said that to you?” Robert sounds concerned, “Is she okay? Someone should check on her, give her a check-up, that does not sound like her at all.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes, “Well, anyways Robert Sugden will you marry me?… Again.”

“Well, I mean it’s kind of a big commitment, but yeah I guess I will,” Robert could tell that Aaron was trying not to be amused by Robert’s odd sense of humor, but he knows that deep down it’s one of the many reasons he loves him. “Now give me your ring,” Robert holds his hand out and Aaron hands it to him. “Aaron Dingle,” 

Aaron rolls his eyes but can’t hide the smile on his face, “You don’t need to do that.” 

“I think it’s tradition,” Robert smiles. “Anyways, Aaron Dingle will you marry me... again?” 

Aaron takes Robert’s hand in his, “I don’t know, let me think about it.”

Robert didn’t wait for Aaron to finish making fun of him and slips the ring onto Aaron’s finger. He hadn’t felt this much relief in his life, the man he loves more than anything finally his again. He loved Aaron more than anything in the world, and not having in him life made him fall apart, and now with Aaron’s help, he can slowly be put back together. He finally is going to feel whole again, and there is no doubt that soon Aaron would feel whole again too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I might start another multi chapter fic with a jealous Robert/Robron love triangle story line. What do you guys think of that?? 
> 
> Also, do you want me to continue this story or end it here?


	11. Waiting Room

When they take Robert to surgery Aaron walks with him as far as he can before being told to wait in the waiting room. Liv is passed out in the chair with her head on the shoulder of Victoria. When Aaron sit down next to them she wakes up and notices the ring on his hand immediately. “What about the doctor,” she says sarcastically. 

“Maybe in another story,” Aaron rolls his eyes. He can’t imagine being with anyone who isn’t Robert no matter who much they go through they always find their way back to each other in the end. 

Vic wiped the top of Aaron’s head were a little dry blood still remained, “Are you okay?” 

Aaron nods, “I have a massive headache, not going to lie. Are you okay?” 

“Yeah,” she pauses. “So much happened today it is pretty hard to process.” 

They sit in the waiting room, nodding off when suddenly Aaron is woken up by someone aggressively shaking him. He sits up quickly prepared to defend himself, but he soon realizes it was just his mom. 

“What the hell Aaron!” She doesn’t even try to keep her voice down in the waiting room and now both Vic and Liv are awake. “I have been calling you for hours, do you know how long it took me to find you?” Aaron thought his mom was angry before, but now she looked like she was going to explode. He didn’t really know what to say to her, or how to explain anything that had happened. “You were almost murdered, and you didn’t feel like giving me a call? I know people at the station, what the hell.” She slumps in the chair next to him, “What are we doing here?” Her voice is softer now. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” Aaron begins.

Chas cuts him off, “Damn right you are.” 

“Anyways,” he sighs, “Robert is getting surgery.” 

Chas' eyebrows shot up, “You and Liv got kidnapped and were almost killed, and instead of coming home you went to the hospital to be with Robert?” She notices the ring on Aaron’s finger, “Oh I don’t think so, take it off.” 

“Mum, you can’t tell me to take it off,” Aaron said. “Look it’s a long story, but Rebecca is crazy, never slept with Robert and isn’t pregnant.” Chas stares at Aaron unsure of what to make of what he just told her. “I know it’s crazy, but it’s the truth. Rebecca and Ross are the ones who took me and Liv.” Aaron presses on.   
Liv sits up rubbing her eyes and sits up. Chas notices the cut on her head and forgets about Robert for a second, “Ross and Rebecca did that to you?” Chas was yelling again, “Oh they messed with the wrong family. Wait till I tell Cain about this.” 

“Chas, you need to keep your voice down,” Vic whispers to her when she notices a number of people staring at the four of them. 

“They are already being held, Cain can’t do anything,” Aaron added. 

Chas crosses her arms, “He can do something, that’s what he does.” She sighs and looks around the hospital, “So why are we here?” 

“Robert is sick, he’s getting surgery now and we are waiting for him to get out,” Aaron takes a deep breath. He starts wondering how much longer it will be before they find out what is going on with the surgery. 

Chas’s face suddenly softens, “Is he okay? How sick is he?” 

Aaron nods, “He’s okay. He has uh- testicular cancer, but he- he should be fine,” Aaron had suddenly got choked up thinking about how sick Robert really was. He knows that there is almost no chance that Robert has complications with this surgery, but what about after it. Aaron doesn't even know what will happen after this surgery, what kind of treatments will he need after this? What are the issues that can happen after the surgery is done? His breathing picks up and he feels like the room is closing in on him.

Chas rubs Aaron’s back, “He’s gonna be okay,” she smiles, “He’s a fighter that one.” 

Victoria puts her arm around Aaron’s shoulders, “There is no way he would let cancer be the reason you two aren’t together, you know that.”

“He would never let himself leave this world without or before you,” Liv chimes in. 

Aaron has flashbacks to the last time he and Robert were in the hospital. The roles were switched though, but he thinks about the sinking car and Robert refusing to leave him when he thought there was no hope to save himself. He was about to say something, but Aaron saw Dr. McCullen walk out of the double doors. “How did it go?” Aaron stood up and basically yelled across the waiting room at the doctor. And he was forced to wait while Dr. McCullen made his way over to them.

“It’s all good news, you can breathe,” The doctor said when he got closer to them. “Everything went really well, he is in recovery right now it will be another half hour before you can go in and see him.” 

“But, it went well?” Liv asks. She is wide awake now that there is no more waiting around to find out what is going on. 

The doctor nods, “Yes, we will talk about further treatment when he comes out of anesthesia fully.”

Vic pulls out her phone and dials Diane's number. She knows that she will be angry that she didn’t know what was going on sooner, but if Vic told her any earlier she would have been a mess aggravating everyone about what was happening. 

“Thank you,” Aaron smiled. 

Doctor McCullen nodded, “I will tell a nurse to come get you when he is back in his room.” He says and then walks away. 

Aaron looks over at Chas, who he can tell is relieved of the news about Robert. “Don’t look at me like that,” She warned him, “I still have so many questions.” 

“I can try and answer them,” Aaron smiled. He looked down at the ring on his finger once more. The past twenty-four hours had seemed so surreal, that everything is just some crazy set-up, but at this point, Aaron shouldn’t be surprised when things like this happen to him. He just can’t wait to see Robert again.


	12. High

It wasn’t much longer before a nurse came and brought them up to the room Robert was staying in now. “He’s going to be in and out of it, because of the pain medication, we will keep him for a few nights, we just have to watch his progress.” She says to them as they stand outside his door. 

It felt like everyone was here now, himself, Liv, Chas, Vic, Diane, even Adam had shown up when he heard what was going on. The entire village is buzzing with gossip between the kidnapping, and Robert is in the hospital. 

“Hey, the whole Village is here,” Robert beamed when the nurse finally opened the door to let them in. Aaron could tell he was on some high dose drugs by his eyes being half open and the smile on his face. “How do I look?”

“You’ve looked better,” Aaron joked. 

Robert’s eyes slowly close and then shoot open again, “I’m tired, are you guys tired?” Aaron is having trouble keeping a straight face while watching Robert trying to function while being high of his mind on painkillers. 

“Do you want to rest?” Diane asked. 

Robert shook his head, “No, no, I am fine, it’s nice of you to come” he paused and looked around the room he looks over at Chas and smiles, “I bet you love seeing me like this.” 

She stands in the corner of the room with her arms crossed, not sure what to make of her feelings. “No, I don’t like seeing you like this,” she says quietly. 

“I didn’t hear you,” Robert says. On a normal day he would have done it to be annoying, but today he was being honest, and couldn’t hear her. 

Chas sighs, “I don’t like seeing you like this,” She motions to the bed he is laying in. 

Aaron smiled, he knows that deep deep deep down in that heart of hers she has the slightest bit of love for Robert, but that little bit of love she has still made Aaron happy. 

Robert looks at Chas unconvinced, “We will need to talk about that more,” he starts looking around the room again. Vic and Liv are standing next to each other, “Both my sisters are here, that’s good.” 

Liv opens her mouth to say something but then stops herself and smiles. Vic wraps her arm around her shoulders and pulls her into her side. Liv never really thought about having a sister, but she wouldn’t complain about it if it was Victoria. 

Robert looks at Adam now, “I don’t really know why you’re here, but hi.” Everyone in the room starts laughing and Robert looks genuinely confused about the sudden outburst, but moves on to the final person in the room. “And the love of my life, hello.” 

Aaron can’t hold back a smile, “Hi.” 

“Is anyone else hungry, we could go eat and uh, Aaron you can stay if you want,” Liv hinted for everyone to leave. 

Vic nods, “Yeah we go to the cafe here for a little bit.” 

Everyone files out the door and head to the cafe

 

There is a knock at the door and Aaron yells that they can come in. He watches the door open and then turns his head back to look at Robert, whose eyes had drifted off to sleep again. He nearly breaks his neck when he looks back at the door and it was Chrissie who was walking into the room. “Hi,” his voice comes out more strenuous and confused than he meant. 

“I’m not really sure why I came here,” she stands by the door. 

Robert’s eyes snap back open and he tries craning his neck, but can’t see the door from where he is laying. He looks over at Aaron, “I swear I just hear Chrissie, tell the nurse I need new meds I can’t be hallucinating like this,” he whispers. Chrissie walks out from the doorway and into Robert’s line of vision and his mouth drops open, “Oh my god Aaron I can see her, where is my call light, I’ve lost my damn mind.” 

Aaron suppresses a laugh, “No, Rob,” he says trying to stop Rob from pressing the call light. “Robert that is her, she’s here.” 

“Why,” Robert asked looking completely puzzled. 

Chrissie looks at Robert, and then at Aaron, “I just came back from giving the rest of my statement at the police station, and I knew you were here, and I wanted to let you know that I told them everything I saw.” 

Robert looks at her confused with everything that has been happening and the pain meds he forgot about the kidnapping and the attempted murder that had occurred. “What is she talking about,” he tries to mouth to Aaron, but he ends up just saying it out loud. 

“Rebecca and Ross and how-”

Robert cuts him off, “Oh that bitch, I remember now.” 

“I honestly had no idea that she was doing that, I-” She pauses, “I should’ve she was so secretive about the appointments and didn’t want me feeling the baby, I just I didn’t think she was capable of it.” Chrissie looks sad like she doesn't know where to go from here. 

“That is one thing we can agree on,” Robert says. 

Chrissie starts walking back towards the door and then turns back around, “I think I’ve had enough of this village, after the trial, I don’t think I will stay here anymore.” 

“We will have to throw a party, No one here will be too upset about the fact that you are leaving,” Robert says under his breath. 

“Robert,” Aaron says giving him a disapproving look. 

Chrissie smiles, “It’s okay, I did a lot of bad things, I deserve it.” She takes a deep breath, “I’m sorry for the things I have done.” 

Aaron looks at her like she has lost her mind, she may have done some really messed up things, but he doesn’t feel like she should be apologizing to either one of them. “I’m uhh-,” he scratches at the back of his neck, “I’m sorry too.”

“You’re not, and it’s okay. You two are better for each other than me and him everywhere,” She walks to the door and opens it, “I sincerely hope the two of you have a good life together,” she says before walking out.

She was right, Aaron wasn’t sorry. If had the chance to redo his life he would steal Robert from Chrissie all over again. Maybe he would do a few things different, of course, but nothing would stop him from himself and Robert ending up together. And there will always be bumps in the road and hardships they will have to get through, but Aaron knows that there is no one in this world he would rather do it with. 

“That was extremely weird,” Robert says breaking Aaron out of his thoughts. 

Aaron ignores the strangeness of what just happened. “I love you,” he says staring at Robert, “I don’t want to live a life without you in it.” Aaron wasn’t really saying it for Robert to hear it, but so he himself could hear him say it. He knew that they had already put the wedding rings back on, but in this moment it was the first time that Aaron had realized how much he had been hurting while they were broken up, and now that they are back together, he can already feel the pieces of himself being put back together. 

Robert eyes slowly started to drift back off to sleep, but the smile on his face didn’t fade, “I will always love you more,” he said in barely a whisper before the machine measuring his heart rhythm flatlined and the bells in his room started to sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like I guess technically he is dead but like not dead dead just a little dead. I didn't lie I swear just stay tuned. 
> 
> IM SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED NURSING SCHOOL IS SO MUCH WORK WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.  
> anyways you know the drill follow me on tumbr @ SomeoneHugSugden and complain about this storyline with me.


	13. Flatline

Nurses all rush into the room pushing Aaron out of the way. Aarons screams asking for help aren’t heard over the nurses trying to figure out the reason that he flatlined. Aaron can’t focus on what is happening and his breathing has grown heavy and ragged. 

“Sir we need you to leave the room,” A nurse stands in front of him trying to get his attention. 

Aaron shakes his head, “What’s-- what’s wrong with him?” 

“We will let you know when we know more,” She pushes him towards the door. 

He watches from the window outside as the nurses work to revive Robert. They use the crash cart and then start wheeling him out of the room and Aaron follows them continuously asking where they are taking him, he makes it to a double doorway before being stopped, “Sir, they are taking him back to surgery, he may be bleeding internally go to the waiting room we will get you when we know more.” 

Aaron paces the hallway outside of where Robert’s room is knowing that the rest of them will be back soon. 

Vic is the first to notice that something is wrong when they are walking back and she starts running up to Aaron, “What’s wrong? What happened?” 

Aaron stops pacing and suddenly he can’t find the words to speak and his eyes fill up with tears. Vic wraps him into a hug, “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers even though she has no idea what is happening. 

The rest of them have caught on that something isn’t right and Liv looks through the window to see that it is empty where Robert was just a little bit ago. “Aaron where is he,” She gulped staring at her brother with tears coming down his eyes. 

“We were just talking,” his voice was shrill from panic and how scared he was, “And then he-- he just flatlined,” he takes a minute to catch his breath, “the nurses all came in and they wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, and I don’t know what to do,”

Chas looks around and finds the first nurse she can, “Hey are we going to find out what is going on or what?” 

The nurse looks up from the computer she is working, “I’m sorry I don’t have any information on Mr. Sugden yet.” 

Chas nods, placing her hands on the desk, “Well, you better hurry up and find out some information before-”

Adam grabs Chas and pulls her away from the nurse, “You can’t threaten nurses,” he says guiding her towards the doors to the waiting room. “Let’s just all go to the waiting room, and wait and see what happens, give them some time.” 

Adam leads them all to the waiting room and they sit down. All of them quiet, stuck in their own thoughts about what could be going wrong. It feels like they will be sitting here forever not knowing what is going on. 

Eventually, Liv gets impatient, “This is ridiculous,” she says standing up. 

Aaron tries to grab her, but she already started walking towards the front desk. Instead of just Liv going to the desk now all of them were headed towards it and Aaron knew that it probably wasn’t going to end without yelling. 

“We’ve been sitting here for two hours, it’s getting late and we have no idea what is going on,” Liv doesn’t hold back on any of the annoyance she has in her voice. 

The man behind the desk doesn’t look up, “We will tell you more information when we know it.” 

Diane’s nails started tapping against the desk, “So you’re telling me you can’t find out anything?” 

“I told you we will tell you more information when we know it,” The man still hasn’t looked up. 

Chas looks like she is about to jump the desk, “How about you do your job and look up his name before I ring your neck.” 

This makes the man look up and he just knows notices how many people are standing in front of him, “Look, lady,” he is speaking directly to Chas, “I don’t know anything okay, I am paid to sit here and that’s it.” 

Chas' eyes are filled with fury, “I am going to come around here and I wil-” 

Her threat was cut short. “Sugden,” the name is called out and all six of them turn around instantly. Doctor McCullen is standing by the doors looking around the room. 

“You are so lucky,” Chas says to the man behind the desk before rushing over with the others to find out what is going on with Robert. 

“I am so sorry-” Doctor. McCullen begins and Aaron feels his heart sink to the bottom of his chest and the room around him start caving in. Liv and Vic look down at the ground unsure of how to contain their emotions. Diane and Chas face both drops into a sullen look and Adam’s hands were on top of his head in disbelief of what he is hearing. 

The doctor notices the sudden despair on everyone's faces and realizes what he just said. “Oh god, no he’s fine,” He facepalms, “I’m such an idiot, Robert is fine he is back in the same room as before, I was sorry because I didn’t see the internal bleeding before,” he corrects himself. 

They all look up at the doctor with looks that could kill. Liv smacks his shoulder, “You just gave all of us a heart attack are you kidding me,” she is practically yelling at the man. “Why the hell would you start with I’m sorry? You couldn’t start with he’s not dead?” 

“Liv, it’s okay he didn’t mean it,” Aaron puts his arm around her to get her to stop yelling in the middle of the waiting room. 

“Apparently during the surgery, there was a small cut along the way causing the upper abdomen to have blood in it, his organs started to shut down, but we took him in, in time and fixed the issue, he should be all set now.” He tries to give a reassuring smile, but they all are staring at him and he feels uncomfortable. “You can go see him now, but he is extremely tired.” 

They all rush back to the room that he was in before, sure enough, he was even more tired than before, but manages to keep his eyes open a little. “Hey,” he says softly when he sees them all walk in. 

“You scared me, you idiot,” The words come out of Aaron’s mouth before he even realizes it. 

Robert smiles, “You did that to me first, payback is a bitch.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes but does have a smile on his face. “It’s not funny,” he sits down in the chair next to Robert and rests his read against the railing of the bed.

Robert turns his head to look at Aaron, “I did tell you that guy was going to try and kill me didn’t I?” 

“I smacked him already don’t worry,” Liv says walking over to sit next to Aaron.

Robert smiles, “Oh good, I knew I could count on you.” His eyes start to flutter shut and everyone in the room watches carefully, worried about what was going to happen, but this time he had just fallen asleep, no flatline and no alarms and everyone was at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I was going to make you wait another week?? I'm not that evil.


	14. Questions

Eventually, everyone had fallen asleep and when Aaron woke up he, Liv and Vic were the only ones left in the room, everyone else must have gone home. Aaron reaches over and nudges Liv awake, “Why don’t we go home and shower and change and then head back to the station to finish up the questioning.” 

Liv rubs her eyes and nods, “A shower sounds pretty nice.” 

Robert’s eyes peel open, “Leaving so soon?” His voice is shaky and hoarse. He is still exhausted and will be for a few more days. 

“We have to go talk to the police some more,” Aaron whispers, “We will be back soon, Vic will take good care of you.” 

At the mention of her name Vic’s eyes flutter open, “What am I doing?” She yawned. 

“Taking care of Robert while we are gone,” Aaron says to her and then turns towards the door to leave. 

“Hey Aaron,” Robert says as Aaron turns towards the door to leave. 

“Yeah?” 

Robert stares at Aaron for a moment taking him in. While these may not have been the circumstances that Robert expected when he finally got Aaron back, he certainly should start counting his blessings. “I love you.” 

A smile tugs at Aaron’s lips, “Yeah, I love you too.” He walks over and plants a kiss on Robert’s forehead.

“Oh god,” Liv groans, “You two are disgusting.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes, but he can tell by the smile on his sister’s face that she is happy to finally see Robert and himself back together again. “Come on,” he swings his arm around Liv’s shoulders, “Let’s go.” 

After showering, and changing Aaron and Liv head back over to the station. Last time they were there it was a quick statement about what happened, and now they are going to ask in-depth questions about what had gone on.

When they get there an officer immediately leads them to a back room where they can answer questions in peace and quiet. “We will just question you together, because she is a minor and as her guardian you would be present during her questioning anyways,” The officer walks behind the desk and sits down with a groan, “I’m getting too old for this village.” 

Liv rests her hands on the desk in front of her, “So, you already talked to Chrissie right?” 

Aaron nudges Liv, “You don’t get to ask the questions.” 

“I’m just saying,” She says, “ I mean obviously she isn’t lying so why do we have to do this.” 

The officer smiles, “We just are trying to figure out more details, like why they did this, what their motive was.” 

Liv rolls her eyes, “I can tell you they are both batshit crazy.” 

“Okay duly noted,” The officer says writing on the notepad in front of him “So first things first why do you think this all happen?” He asks directed at Aaron.

Aaron sits up in the chair, “Well she wanted my husband for herself, and Ross well-- he just hates him.” 

“Hates who?” 

“My husband.” 

“And your husband is?” 

“Robert Sugden.” 

The officer nods writing everything that is said to him down, “So, how do you come into the mix?” He looks at Liv.

“I overheard her saying the baby wasn’t Robert’s, so her and Ross tried to kidnap me, but then Aaron found out, so Ross knocked both of us out,” The words come out of her mouth relatively easy which the officer finds unsettling. He knew she wasn’t lying, but this girl has been through a lot in the last few days and she talked about it like it was nothing. “But then it turned out there wasn't even a baby at all,” Liv says still confused by why she pretended to be pregnant the entire time. 

“The baby was supposed to be Robert’s,” The officer is trying to keep up with the story. He looks at Aaron “Your husband?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron nods. “She convinced us all that they slept together and she was pregnant with his baby, but then no baby!” 

“And where is Robert when this is happening?” 

“Oh he’s in the hospital he has cancer, just had surgery, and almost died, but he’s doing a little better now.” 

The officer just stares at Aaron for a moment. Again the answer just rolls off the tongue like it isn’t news that could break someone's heart in two. “Are the two of you okay? You seem to have been through a lot these few days, or months. It’s common to be in shock.” 

Aaron shakes his head, ‘No,” He sits back in the chair, “This is my life.” 

“This is your life?” The officer asks confused. 

“Yep, it’s crazy and complicated, but it’s my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's so short I ended up busier than I had thought today. I wanted to give you guys something, but good news I have a long weekend so I can update in just a few days!!!!


	15. Headache

The questioning didn’t take as long as Aaron had thought it would, “I guess when you aren’t a suspect the questioning period is shorter,” he laughs. 

Liv smiles, she can tell that Aaron is happier, under these crazy circumstances after everything that has happened, from Robert’s cancer to being kidnapped, to find out there was never even a baby, it was enough to make someone else go mad. But not Aaron, he was happier, it just took a lot to get there. “You know you have been through a lot, I don’t think you would be able to take anything else happening.” 

“Yeah,” Aaron nods, “Let’s plan on nothing else going wrong then.” 

“Agreed.” 

Aaron and Liv walk to the car, “I’m starving how about you?” 

“I thought you were never going to ask, I am not in the mood for hospital food,” she says. There is nothing really wrong with the Hospital cafe, and she does want to get back to see Robert, but now that Robert and Aaron are back together, she knows that she won’t get as much time with Aaron. “This can be our last quality time together before Robert wants to spend every waking second with you.” 

Aaron pretends to look offended, “Are you saying getting kidnapped and almost murdered together wasn’t enough quality sibling time for you?” 

Liv rolls her eyes, ‘Oh my god shut it.”   
They only drove for a bit before stopping at a pizza place that neither of them had ever heard of. They sat a table, waiting for the pizza to finish cooking, “Do you think we will have any leftovers for Vic, and Diane and whoever else is there?” Aaron asks once he realized he probably should have got a pizza to bring back to the hospital. 

“No,” Liv shakes her head, “but we can pretend we haven’t eaten, and just aren’t hungry.” 

Aaron waves a finger at her, “I like the way you think.” 

“Do you have any aspirin?” Liv asks.

Aaron nods, “In the car, why?” 

“I just have a small headache,” She says rubbing the temples of her head. “I’ll go grab it, where is it?” 

He hands her the keys, “In the glove box.” 

Aaron watches her from the window, and sees that she found it right away. He notices a man walking over with their pizza, and he can feel his stomach growling as it gets closer. Liv slides back into her side of the booth, with two aspirin in her hand. She pops them in her mouth and washes them down with the coke she ordered. 

Neither of them says anything as they eat, but Liv was right by the time they are both full there is only half of a slice left, and Aaron doesn’t think that it would be appropriate to bring that back for people to fight over. 

“Does your head feel better?” He asks Liv as they get up to leave the pizzeria. 

“Yeah,” Liv lies. It actually hurts worse, but the last thing she wants to do is make Aaron start to worry about her. But on the way down the stairs, Liv lost her balance and started to stumble. 

Aaron grabbed her by the arm, “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded brushing his hand away from her. But it felt like the world was spinning, she couldn’t see clearly, and she couldn’t make out anything around her. She suddenly felt nauseous and had to stop to make sure she didn’t throw up. 

Aaron could tell something was wrong, Liv was fine seconds ago and now she was pale, sweat was visible on her forehead, and her entire body had clammed up. “Liv, we need to get you to a doctor.” He grabbed her arm and this time she didn’t push him away. She let him guide her to the car, he sat her down in the passenger seat and rushed to his side to drive her to the hospital. 

“I’m--, I’m not feeling too good,” Liv’s voice came out as barely a whisper, she felt like her body wasn’t working with her brain anymore. 

When Aaron looked over at her, he could tell that something was seriously wrong, she was slowly slipping further and further away. “Liv hey listen, you’re gonna have to stay awake for me,” he tried not to sound panicked, but it didn’t work. 

“I am awake,” she said but was having trouble keeping her eyes open. 

Aaron was going as fast as he possibly could without crashing, they were close to the hospital, but it didn’t feel close enough. Suddenly he saw Liv’s arm fall into her lap, and she was motionless in the seat next to him. “Liv,” he yelled, but he didn’t get a response. “Liv wake up,” he was driving with one hand and shaking her with the other, but her body was limp, there wasn’t a sign of life left in her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!  
> This chapter is honestly just to set-up the next few chapters, I know it's short. 
> 
> But I am on vacation from school for the next five weeks, so I am going to try to update as often as I can.   
> I also started another fic called What Do You Mean I'm Dead? It's totally different and weird, but you can check it out if you haven't already.


	16. More Trouble

Aaron was speeding and nearly missed to entrance to the hospital. He pulled up the emergency entrance, and two nurses that must have seen he was visibly distressed ran out to see what was wrong. “Sir, can we help you?” One of the nurses asked, but Aaron didn’t hear them, he was too focused on getting Liv out of the car. 

One of the nurses catches a glimpse of how motionless Liv is, “Carrie, grab a stretcher immediately, tell them it’s a code blue.” Carrie rushed back into the hospital while the other nurse runs over to the car to help Aaron. “Sir, how long has she been like this?” 

“She, she-,” he stammers not finding any of the words he wants to say.

A group of nurses is now surrounding the car lifting Liv’s lifeless body on to the stretcher. They are all doing something different to her trying to figure out what the problem is. “She has a pulse,” one of the nurses yells, and Aaron only feels slightly better about the situation. 

“If we are gonna help her we need to know what happened.” The nurse from before’s voice is now stern trying to get the details out of Aaron. 

Aaron snaps out of the trance he was in, ‘It must be her head,” he looks at the nurse whose name he now sees is Anna, “She was hit over the head with a pipe, and-- she said her head hurt earlier.” Aaron tries to remember anything else that could have caused this, “She saw paramedics, they-- didn’t they help her?” 

“We are gonna do everything we can to help her,” Anna assures him. “How long has she been unresponsive?” 

“Not long, I sped the whole way here,” he tries thinking, but he honestly doesn't even know how much time had past, the only thing he focused on was getting here. “Maybe five or ten minutes.” 

The nurse nods, “Check for a head injury,” she yells to the group and then immediately start wheeling the stretcher inside. Aaron starts to follow but Anna stops him, “First of all you need to move the car, second, we are gonna do everything we can, I promise you, I will tell you any new information I get on her as soon as I can.” Aaron couldn’t figure out how her voice was so calm when his little sister was laying in a stretcher unresponsive. She doesn’t give him any time to ask her, as she ran inside to help. 

Aaron moves the car to a parking and just sits there for a moment reflecting on the past few days. Robert and Liv are in the hospital now, Robert almost died and now his sister lays unresponsive. He knows if he doesn’t call his mom she will kill him. His phone rests in his head with his Chas’s contact on the screen. He takes a deep breath before pressing the call button. 

“Hey hun, how’s everything,” the sound of her voice is enough to make tears force there way back to his eyes. Why is it that parents have the effect on people? One second you’re able to keep your shit together and then, just the sound of their voice is enough to send you overboard. She must have realized something was wrong because of his silence, “Is it Rob? What’s wrong,” the concern in her voice was surprising. 

Aaron tries to clear his throat, but it sounded more like a choking sound, “No it’s--,” he can’t manage to finish the sentence before he was full on crying in the car. “Mum,” he says in the must heart shattering voice. “Something’s wrong with Liv.” 

There was silence on the other end for a moment and then Aaron could hear his mother yelling at people in the background, but couldn’t make out what she was saying. “Are you at Hotten? I’m on my way, what’s wrong?” 

“She said her head hurt, and then she was just unresponsive,” Aaron sobs now that the tears are there he can’t get them to go away. 

Aaron hears a car door shut, “Everything is gonna be okay, I am on my way, I will see you as soon as I get there.” She hangs up the phone. 

He makes his ways back into the hospital and sits in the ER waiting room. It’s a lot different than where they waited for Robert when he was getting surgery, it’s a lot sadder. Families have more hope when people are getting scheduled surgery, here it was all people who were worried. They don’t really know what’s going on, it’s the same feeling as when Robert flat-line, a feeling of hopelessness, and uselessness. Aaron sits in the chair feeling like reality is slowly slipping away from him. 

He hadn’t realized how long he had zoned out for until he hears Chas’s voice. “Hey, have you heard anything?” He stands and she wraps him in a hug. 

When they pull apart he shakes his head, “No, I don’t know when we will.” He sits back down and she sits next to him. 

“Did you tell Robert,” she asks. 

“Not yet.” 

****************************************

Almost 4 hours had passed before a doctor came out with any information. As soon as he name left his mouth both Chas and Aaron were out of their seats. “How is she,” Aaron questioned before the doctor could say anything. 

“Well she had a bleed in her brain, she went through a successful procedure to stop the bleed, but she is in a Coma at the moment.” The doctor said. 

Aaron felt like he couldn’t breathe, “What- what do you mean? Is she gonna be okay or not,” he raged. 

The doctored sighed, “We aren’t fully sure yet, she’s young so the odds of her making a full recovery are higher, but she needs to fight for it every bit of the way.”

“The paramedic said she was fine! Why didn’t he have her head checked out before,” Aaron was seething with anger? No one has done their job correctly these past few days. Nothing has gone right, Robert is sick, and almost died, because someone missed a bleed he had, he and Liv were hit over the head with a pipe and then kidnapped and almost killed, because the people in the village are psychotic and now Liv is fighting for her life because a paramedic didn’t tell them to get their head scans. 

“Can we see her,” Chas asked before the doctor even answered Aaron’s question, not that the doctor had an answer. 

He nodded, “Of course follow me.” 

Aaron thought he would know this entire hospital by now he has been here so often, but all the hallways look the same. The ICU was even worse than the waiting room, Aaron thought to himself as they walked through it. It was almost like you could feel the negative emotions radiating off the people around them. “This is her, I will be checking up on her at least once a day when I am here, and if I am not here another doctor will be looking after her. Any questions right now?” The doctor asked as they stand outside the door to Liv’s room. All the rooms had glass walls, so the nurses could see in easily. 

Aaron stays quiet. It’s like his brain doesn’t work, he probably has a million questions he wants to ask, but he can’t think of any. “Is she sharing the room with anyone?” Chas asks even though she can blatantly see that there is another bed in the room. 

He nods, “We are pretty overcrowded at the moment, so she is sharing a room with another coma patient who has been here for almost three months.” 

“Okay, thank you,” She gives her best imitation of a smile. 

“If you need anything else you can ask any of the nurses and I am sure they will be happy to help you,” he stated before walking away. 

Aaron opened the door to the room slowly, Liv was in the bed closer to the door. It killed Aaron to see her laying in the bed with the breathing tubes and gauze wrapped around her head. She had IV’s in both her arms supplying her with meds and nutrition. She looked so much younger, like this, she was defenseless. 

“She looks like a fighter that one,” A voice next to them says. 

Aaron turns around and looks at the girl laying in the bed next to Liv for the first time. She was young too, not as young, probably early twenties. The women who talked before must be her mother, she looks tired and worn down. The bags under her eyes look almost drawn on they are so prominent, and her eyelids look as though they are permanently dropping from a lack of sleep. Aaron can’t begin to imagine the sleepless nights, she has had for the past three months. “She is,” he nods. “So does she,” he motions toward the young girl in the other bed. 

“I hope she is,” the mother smiled, but it was sad and Aaron could feel part of himself breaking for her. “I’m Margret,” she holds out a hand and shakes both Aaron and Chas’s hands. “This is my daughter Amanda.”

“I’m Aaron, this is my mum Chas,” he points to her and Chas smiles, “and this my little sister Liv.” 

There was an awkward silence before Margret decided to leave the room to give Aaron, Chas, and Liv a moment alone. It didn’t feel like they were alone though, with Amanda laying in the bed next to them. Aaron and Chas sat in the chairs next to Liv’s bed, but neither of them knew what to say, or even know where to begin, so they say in silence just looking at Liv and occasionally looking around at what was going on outside of the room. 

Chas finally broke the silence, “You should go tell Robert, he is probably worried by now.” Aaron searches for his phone in his pockets, he hadn’t even thought of at least texting Vic or Robert that he was busy. But he can’t find it and realizes he must have left it in the car after talking to his mum, he wouldn’t know if anyone texted him. 

He stands up, “I might in his room tonight, I’m not sure if I can stay in this room.” 

“I know where you are if I need to come get you.” 

Aaron needed to ask for directions to the post-op area of the hospital three times before he finally got to Robert’s room. 

“Where the hell have you been,” Robert queried as soon as he saw Aaron walk into the room. His tone quickly changed when he saw the look on Aaron’s face, “What’s wrong,” he asked worried, “Where’s Liv?” 

Vic sat upright, “Is everything okay?” 

Aaron just stood in the center of the room, he thought that maybe it would be easier to tell Robert, but he was wrong, he was so wrong. It was harder, telling someone face to face was much harder than telling them over the phone. 

“Aaron, what’s happened?” Robert poked, he could tell by the look on Aaron’s face that something serious was wrong. 

“Liv--,” He coughed trying to keep himself from crying. “She’s- she is down in the ICU. She’s in a coma.” The words felt like they took forever to get out, and now he waits for Robert and Victoria’s response. 

Robert’s mouth was open, but no words were coming out. 

Vic was standing now, “What? What do you mean, what happened she was fine earlier today, she was-- Liv was perfectly fine,” she rambles trying to put things together. 

“She had a bleed in her brain, from when Ross attacked us. They said as long as she fights, she should make it,” Aaron couldn’t help, but get emotional again. The thought of losing Liv was too much for him to bare, and each time he mentioned her having to fight for her life it kills him a little bit. 

Vic walked over and wrapped her arms around Aaron, “She’s so strong, she’s gonna be okay,” she says holding onto Aaron. When she let’s go she too has tears in her eyes. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” Vic says wiping tears from her face and walks passed Aaron out the door. 

“Come here,” Robert moved his body over to the edge of the bed, to make enough room for Aaron to lay down. 

Aaron didn’t argue, he made his way over to the bed and carefully climbed into the hospital bed. He nuzzled his head into the crook of Roberts' neck, Robert positioned himself so he could run his fingers through Aaron’s hair trying to soothe him as best as he could. “It’s okay,” Robert whispers. He doesn’t mean the situation is okay, he means it’s okay for Aaron to stop trying to hold himself together now, it’s okay for Aaron to let himself cry without the threat of making other people upset. It’s Robert’s turn to be strong for Aaron right now even though he was the one laying in the hospital bed, and he was okay with that. 

So he does, he lets himself cry and Robert wraps his arm around Aaron’s back pulling him closer to him. He can feel the wetness of Aaron’s tears on his shoulder, “It’s okay,” he repeats kissing Aaron’s forehead. “It’s gonna be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess whos back, back again.   
> Hello I'm sorry I suck at updating.
> 
> Anyway warning next chapter is a Ross/Rebecca POV chapter


	17. If She Lives

Rebecca

Rebecca was fidgeting in her seat. She’s honestly doesn’t even know how long she has been here. She doesn’t even know where Ross is, or what he has told the detectives and officers. He could have told them everything and she just looks like an idiot not talking to them. 

“Ms. White, are you listening to us,” one of the detectives asked snapping her out of the trance she was in. 

She nods, “Yeah.” 

“Are you going to tell us why you did this?” 

She shrugs,“I told you what I know.” 

The detective slouches back in the chair, “We already have enough evidence to indict you, we are just trying to put the pieces together. It doesn’t matter how much you deny it,” the detective runs a hand through her hair, “We have you at the scene, your own sister turned you in. You are going to jail, so help us, help you and walk us through everything that happened.” 

Rebecca sat with her arms crossed not willing to say anything. Just when she thought the detective was going to give up again a man walked into the room and whispered something into the detective's ear and handed her a file. 

She rifled through the file before turning back to face Rebecca. “This could get a whole lot worse for you,” she was furious now, Rebecca was surprised by it. She was distraught about what she was just told because whatever it was, was enough to make the detective go from playing nice to not very quickly. 

Rebecca swallowed, thinking about how to approach this there was so much she didn’t know and anything she said could be used against her. She didn’t want to seem interested, or fall for whatever it was they were trying to do but she couldn’t help it, “Why,” she asked the curiosity was apparent in her voice. 

“The little girl,” The detective paused, she was trying to contain her anger, “The girl, Olivia, is in the hospital right now.” 

Rebecca didn’t know if what she was claiming was true, this could all be some setup to try and get her to talk, “Why would she be in the hospital?” 

“She has a bleed in her brain; she is in a coma.” 

Rebecca was trying to observe something, anything in the detective's eyes or facial expression that would prove that what she was implying wasn’t true. It didn’t make any sense, when the police showed up Aaron and Liv were fine. But she couldn’t find it, the anger on the detectives face looked so real, and it scared Rebecca. She didn’t know what to say, she was just trying to put the pieces together and then she remembers Ross and the pipe. It had to have been that, that was the only thing it could be.

The detective was standing now, her hands flat on the table leaning over to make sure she could get as close to Rebecca as she could, “That’s what I want to know,” she whispers her words seethed with anger and Rebecca shifted in her seat visibly uncomfortable. “If that girl dies you are being charged with murder.” The detective couldn’t stand to be in the room any longer and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Rebecca said frantically finally cracking, she could tell that what the detective was saying was true, it made sense now, and even if it wasn’t true she didn’t want to take the chance of going down for something Ross did, not if she could get out of it. “It was Ross; He hit her with the pipe.” 

 

Ross

Ross hadn’t shown any type of regret for what he had done, he didn’t really care that he was being questioned. The only thing they could charge him with is some type of kidnapping he thought. Attempted murder maybe, but they may need more evidence to do that he didn’t really hurt anyone. He kept downplaying the situation to make himself feel better. The detective hadn’t been back in the room in a while, and he was starting to think maybe he forgot about him.

Just as he thought about it the detective walked into the room Ross was being held in and throw a file down on the table. “Do you feel like talking yet,” the officer spat at him. 

“Not really, what do you really need to know.” Ross really didn’t fathom why he was being questioned still, they know he was in the wrong. They just want to know why and he really doesn’t have a good answer, it all just got out of hand. “What kind of time am I looking at?” Ross asked without any sense of care in his voice. 

“Depends on if the girl lives or not,” The officer shrugged. 

Ross sat up in the chair, “What do you mean,” he asked cautiously. He didn’t know if this was some trick that the officer was using to try and get him to talk. 

The officer opened the file that he threw at the table before, “Turns out she had a bleed in her brain, do you know anything about that?” The detective was complex, he couldn't read him, he didn’t seem angry, but there was something, some emotion Ross just couldn’t tell what it was. 

Ross shakes his head, “No.” 

The detectives face shifted into something close to a smile, “Really,” he sits in the seat across from Ross now, “That friend of yours, said it was you who hit a fifteen-year-old over the head with a pipe.” The detective was so calm it was unsettling. 

Ross didn’t know how to go about this, he doesn’t doubt that Rebecca would confess in fact he couldn’t believe she lasted as long as she did unless she did earlier and they just hadn’t used it against him yet. But he also didn’t know if admitting to anything would be his best option, he bit his lip trying to figure out what to say. 

“Well,” The detective asked impatiently. 

Ross shifted in the seat, “What happens if she dies?” 

“You get charged with murder of course,” he snorted, “And I heard,” the detective was whispering now, “people who kill children don’t make many friends in prison.” With that, the detective left the room leaving Ross alone with his thoughts and it was the first time that he had any regret for that he had done.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be just a quick little thing, but now I have an entire plot in my head, so we are getting a multi chaptered fic, yay!
> 
> I changed my tumblr name to @/someonehugsugden


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